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Immunohistochemical demonstration of pancreatic α‐amylase and trypsin in intrahepatic bile ducts and peribiliary glands
Author(s) -
Terada Tadashi,
Nakanuma Yasuni
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.1840140629
Subject(s) - immunohistochemistry , amylase , trypsin , intrahepatic bile ducts , pathology , medicine , gastroenterology , bile duct , biology , enzyme , biochemistry
Epithelia of intrahepatic bile ducts and peribiliary glands were immunohistochemically examined for pancreatic α‐amylase and trypsin in 54 normal autopsied livers. α‐Amylase was evaluated with a polyclonal antibody, and trypsin was assayed with both polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. α‐Amylase was observed in large ducts, septal ducts and peribiliary glands in most livers and was seen in interlobular ducts in seven (13%) livers. Trypsin immunoreactivity with the polyclonal antibody was observed in peribiliary glands in 21 (39%) livers; it was absent in intrahepatic bile ducts in all but one liver. Trypsin immunoreactivity with the monoclonal antibody was present in large ducts, septal ducts and peribiliary glands in about 70% of the livers and was seen in interlobular ducts in two (4%) livers. Bile ductules were always negative for the two antigens. Some epithelia of peribiliary glands positive for both α‐amylase and trypsin histologically resembled pancreatic acinar cells. α‐Amylase and trypsin immunoreactivities of intrahepatic biliary epithelia and pancreatic aninar cells were eliminated by absorption of primary antibodies by α‐amylase or trypsin, suggesting the specificities of the immunoreactivities. These data suggest that epithelia of intrahepatic large ducts, septal ducts and peribiliary glands contain pancreatic α‐amylase in most livers and that they contain trypsin in about 70% of livers. α‐Amylase and trypsin may be secreted into intrahepatic bile duct lumens, thereby exerting important effects on the physiology of the intrahepatic biliary tree and hepatic bile. (H EPATOLOGY 1991;14:1129–1135.)