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Immunohistochemical phenotyping of the inflammatory infiltrate in de novo autoimmune hepatitis after liver transplantation in children
Author(s) -
Hadžić Nedim,
Quaglia Alberto,
Cotoi Corina,
Hussain Munther J.,
Brown Nigel,
Vergani Diego,
MieliVergani Giorgina
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
pediatric transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.457
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 1399-3046
pISSN - 1397-3142
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3046.2012.01723.x
Subject(s) - medicine , autoimmune hepatitis , perforin , immunohistochemistry , foxp3 , pathology , liver transplantation , cd8 , primary sclerosing cholangitis , transplantation , antigen , immunology , immune system , disease
Hadžić N, Quaglia A, Cotoi C, Hussain MJ, Brown N, Vergani D, Mieli‐Vergani G. Immunohistochemical phenotyping of the inflammatory infiltrate in de novo autoimmune hepatitis after liver transplantation in children. Abstract: We have investigated the inflammatory infiltrate in post‐transplant dn‐AIH, a form of late insidious graft rejection, focusing on transcription factors defining effector and T‐regs, using an antigen retrieval immunohistochemical method on archived liver tissue, and compared it with ACR and classical AIH. Paraffin‐embedded liver biopsies from pediatric patients with dn‐AIH (n = 10), ACR (n = 10), and AIH (n = 13) were selected randomly and stained using antibodies directed to CD4, CD8, T‐bet (marker of Th1 polarization), GATA‐3 (marker of Th2 polarization), FOXP3 (marker for T regulatory cells), IL‐17, CD56 (NK cells), and perforin. Portal and lobular lymphocytic infiltrate was assessed semi‐quantitatively. Prominent CD4, CD8, and T‐bet positivity were present in both the lobular and portal infiltrate of all three conditions. Overall T‐bet score of lobular inflammation in the dn‐AIH group was lower than in the ACR and AIH groups (p = 0.02). In contrast, most samples showed absent or minimal GATA‐3 positivity. FOXP3, CD56, IL‐17, and perforin staining of mild to moderate severity were present in all three groups in both the portal and lobular infiltrate. A Th1 polarization of the inflammatory infiltrate characterizes dn‐AIH, but also ACR and AIH.