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CD8 + T cells infiltrating into bile ducts in biliary atresia do not appear to function as cytotoxic T cells: a clinicopathological analysis
Author(s) -
Faiz Kabir Uddin Ahmed Abul,
Ohtani Haruo,
Nio Masaki,
Funaki Nobuo,
Shimaoka Satoru,
Nagura Hiroshi,
Ohi Ryoji
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
the journal of pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.964
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1096-9896
pISSN - 0022-3417
DOI - 10.1002/1096-9896(2000)9999:9999<::aid-path793>3.0.co;2-o
Subject(s) - cytotoxic t cell , granzyme b , biliary atresia , perforin , bile duct , granzyme , cd8 , fas ligand , primary biliary cirrhosis , pathology , immune system , ctl* , intrahepatic bile ducts , biology , medicine , immunology , apoptosis , liver transplantation , transplantation , in vitro , biochemistry , programmed cell death
It is speculated that immune mechanisms are involved in bile duct damage in biliary atresia (BA), as in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). In BA, however, no reports have described the in situ distribution of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) using specific markers, nor has the clinical association been clarified. The present study describes the immunohistochemical distribution of CD8 + T cells and the relevant markers [perforin, granzyme B, FasL (CD95L)] in 47 cases of BA operated upon at days 12–79. The results were compared with those of PBC. In BA, CD8 + T cells infiltrated bile ducts in a way similar to that observed in PBC. However, in sharp contrast to PBC, none of the inflammatory cells infiltrating into the bile ducts in BA expressed cytotoxic markers such as perforin, granzyme B, or Fas ligand (FasL). Clinical follow‐up of patients with BA revealed that a greater degree of infiltration of bile ducts by CD8 + T cells is associated with better liver function. Taken together, these data suggest the absence of direct CTL activity against bile ducts in BA in the postnatal period. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.