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Collagen XVIII is localized in sinusoids and basement membrane zones and expressed by hepatocytes and activated stellate cells in fibrotic human liver
Author(s) -
Musso Orlando,
Rehn Marko,
Saarela Janna,
Théret Nathalie,
Liétard Jocelyne,
Hintikka Elina,
Lotrian Dominique,
Campion JeanPierre,
Pihlajaniemi Taina,
Clément Bruno
Publication year - 1998
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.510280115
Subject(s) - hepatic stellate cell , basement membrane , perisinusoidal space , in situ hybridization , laminin , type iv collagen , procollagen peptidase , pathology , biology , fibrosis , type i collagen , myofibroblast , extracellular matrix , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , gene expression , endocrinology , hepatocyte , in vitro , biochemistry , medicine , gene
Type XVIII collagen is a recently discovered nonfibrillar collagen associated with basement membranes in mice and expressed at high levels in human liver. We studied the origin, distribution, and RNA levels of type XVIII collagen in normal and fibrotic human livers by in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and Northern and dot blots and compared procollagen α1(XVIII) RNA levels with those of procollagen α1(IV) and laminin γ1, the two major components of liver basement membranes. In normal liver, type XVIII collagen was heavily deposited in perisinusoidal spaces and basement membrane zones. The major source of type XVIII collagen was hepatocytes and, to a lesser extent, endothelial, biliary epithelial, and vascular smooth muscle cells and peripheral nerves. In cirrhosis, type XVIII collagen formed a thick deposit along capillarized sinusoids. Grain counts after in situ hybridization showed myofibroblasts to increase their expression 13‐fold in active and twofold in quiescent fibrosis, whereas hepatocytes increased their expression only twofold in both active and quiescent fibrosis. Activated stellate cells in vitro expressed type XVIII collagen at high levels. These data indicate that type XVIII collagen is a component of the perisinusoidal space and is associated with basement membrane remodeling. Hepatocytes and activated stellate cells are important sources of type XVIII collagen in normal and fibrotic liver respectively, which suggests tissue‐specific regulation of its expression.