title: CD14 expression and Kupffer cell dysfunction in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: superparamagnetic iron oxide-magnetic resonance image and pathologic correlation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Kupffer cell (KC) function and CD14 expression contributes to pathogenesis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). However, these relationships remain unclear. We investigated the relationship of KC function with superparamagnetic iron oxide-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (SPIO-MRI), histopathological severity of NASH, and number of CD14-positive KCs in NASH.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study included 32 patients (24 with NASH and eight with simple steatosis) who had previously undergone SPIO-MRI with T2-weighted gradient-recalled echo sequence. All subjects were diagnosed pathologically and were evaluated for necroinflammation grade, fibrosis stage, and number of CD14-positive KCs. Patients with NASH and simple steatosis were compared by using the Mann-Whitney test to determine differences in percent reduction of liver-to-muscle signal intensity ratio (reduction-%LMR), as a surrogate parameter of KC function, and number of CD14-positive KCs. Kruskal-Wallis test and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used to analyze relation among reduction-%LMR, histopathological severity and number of CD14-positive KCs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were statistically significant differences in reduction-%LMR and number of CD14-positive KCs between NASH and simple steatosis patients (Mann-Whitney test, P < 0.001 for all comparisons). Reduction-%LMR decreased with an increase in necroinflammation grade or fibrosis stage. The number of CD14-positive KCs increased with an increase in necroinflammation grade and fibrosis stage (Kruskal-Wallis test, both, P < 0.001). A high correlation was seen between number of CD14-positive KCs and reduction-%LMR (Pearson r = 0.81; P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  KC phagocytic function evaluated with SPIO-MRI correlated with histopathological severity and number of CD14-positive KCs. These results support the concept that KC phagocytic dysfunction contributes to the pathogenesis of NASH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tonan
authors.forename: Kiminori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: Aliya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Qayyum
authors.forename: Yasuyo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kawahara
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kage
authors.forename: Naofumi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hayabuchi
authors.forename: Takato
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueno
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002452:Cell Count; D003287:Contrast Media; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D006801:Humans; D007728:Kupffer Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D010587:Phagocytosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; C061992:otu protein, Drosophila; C000499:ferric oxide