Background and Aims: We have previously reported that cluster of differentiation (CD)4+ T cells induced autoimmune liver diseases in mice with graft‐versus‐host reaction (GVHR) because of major ...histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II disparity. To analyze the progression of the autoimmune‐related mechanism in the liver, concanavalin A (Con A) was injected in mice undergoing GVHR. The aim of this study is to clarify whether Con A deteriorates murine hepatic lesions induced by GVHR, and to elucidate the participation of the cytokines of liver‐infiltrating CD4+ T cells.
Methods: Mice (F1; B6.C‐H‐2bm12× B6) were intravenously injected with B6 T spleen cells. Concanavalin A (15 mg/kg) was administrated 5 days after cell transfer. We examined serum transaminase, antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA), antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and histological changes. Liver‐infiltrating CD4+ T cells were sorted and their cytokine mRNA expression was examined by the use of reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR).
Results: Graft‐versus‐host reaction + Con A mice revealed an elevated serum transaminase, elevated AMA and ANA titers, increased periportal cellular infiltration, piecemeal necrosis and bridging necrosis in the liver. In this group, interferon (IFN)‐γ mRNA expression was more elevated than it was in the GVHR mice. However, there was no difference in the expression of interleukin (IL)‐10 mRNA between the two groups.
Conclusion: The results suggest that Con A deteriorates the GVHR‐induced hepatic lesions, and IFN‐γ and IL‐10 of CD4+ T cells might be implicated in the progression of autoimmune‐related hepatic lesions. This model might offer an aspect for the investigation of progressive mechanisms in T‐cell‐ mediated hepatobiliary injury.
To examine the use of immunohistochemical staining with antibodies against milk components for detection of aspirated milk on lung sections, eighteen infant death cases were investigated. ...Immunostaining was performed with anti-human α lactalbumin, anti-human IgA, anti-human milk fat globulin 1, and anti-cow whey antibody. Reactivity with each antibody was examined, and semi-quantitative examinations were performed to compare the amount of aspirated milk using anti-human α lactalbumin antibody. Materials in the alveoli or bronchioli on lung sections suspected to be aspirated milk showed the most sensitive and clearest reaction with anti-human α lactalbumin antibody. Of the eighteen cases, ten cases showed positive reaction with this antibody. The amount of aspirated milk varied widely in each case. In conclusion, immunohistochemical staining with antibodies against human milk components, especially anti-human α lactalbumin antibody, can detect small amounts of milk. Using this method, we were able to compare the relative amount of aspirated milk among cases.
The Long–Evans Cinnamon (LEC) rat, an animal model of Wilson’s disease, abnormally accumulates copper in the liver. There have been a lot of reports on preneoplastic and neoplastic hepatic tumors in ...LEC rats, but few studies have been focused on other lesions. The aim of this study was to describe the MR findings of the liver of LEC rats with pathologic correlation to characterize the hepatic lesions developed in them. We measured MR images of the liver of six aged (over the age of 70 weeks old) male LEC rats. Measurements of T
1, T
2-weighted images, and the dynamic and delayed studies after i.v. gadolinium injection were performed. The rats were sacrificed immediately after the measurements, and the diagnosis was histologically made. We identified seven lesions of peliosis hepatis, three neoplastic/dysplastic lesions, three cysts and one cholangiofibrosis. Peliosis hepatis was characterized as showing a significantly long T
2 relaxation time of 57.9 ± 13.3 ms (mean ± standard deviation) compared with 41.3 ± 1.7 ms in normal liver, and prolonged enhancement after a gadolinium injection. Neoplastic/dysplastic lesions tended to show prolonged T
2, and they showed isointensity on T
1-weighted images. They were best characterized by early enhancement followed by a rapid wash-out after a gadolinium injection. In conclusions, the frequent occurrence of peliosis hepatis observed in the present study suggests this can be a characteristic lesion in aged LEC rats. The characteristic MR findings enable us to distinguish between peliosis hepatis and neoplastic/dysplastic lesions.
To describe characteristic imaging features of hepatic peribiliary cysts.
Four patients with hepatic cysts in which the radiologic (n = 3) or histologic (n = 1) findings were consistent with ...peribiliary cysts of the liver (multiple small cysts seen exclusively in the larger portal tract, hepatic hilum, or both at gross examination and dilatations of extramural peribiliary gland at histologic examination) underwent computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound (US). In three patients, CT was performed after drip infusion of cholangiographic contrast material.
Contrast material-enhanced CT clearly depicted many tiny cysts along the larger portal veins up to the third- or fourth-order branch (n = 3). US depicted multiple cysts in the echogenic portal tract definitely (n = 2) or equivocally (n = 2). On cholangiographic contrast-enhanced CT scans, cystic areas were located adjacent to or surrounding the bile ducts, and the possibility of biliary dilatation, communication, or both was disproved.
Hepatic peribiliary cysts can be diagnosed with US and enhanced CT, especially with CT performed after administration of cholangiographic contrast material.
We report on three patients with symptomatic, anicteric, and noncirrhotic primary biliary cirrhosis (Ludwig histological stage III at first liver biopsy) who were treated orally with 600 mg/day of ...ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) for more than 4 years. Follow-up liver biopsy was performed twice (at 1-3 and 4-6 years) during treatment. In all cases, during the whole period of up to 4-6 years of UDCA treatment, transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase levels improved, remaining at subnormal levels compared with pretreatment levels. Moreover, histological stage did not change throughout the UDCA treatment of up to 6 years. The second liver biopsy (at 1-3 years) revealed decreased lymphocytic infiltration in all cases, and bridging fibrosis was decreased in two cases. However, in the third biopsy at 4-6 years, portal inflammation was increased in one case without fibrotic progression; in the other two cases, bridging fibrosis was slightly worsened without portal inflammatory progression. In summary, these three cases show that liver histology was found to be improved, as were blood chemistry and pruritus, during short-term UDCA treatment, but histology results were slightly worse after long-term treatment despite the sustained improvement in biochemistry and pruritus.
Heterotopic small bowel transplantation was performed using the cuff technique in DA(RT1a) to PVG(RT1c) rat fully allogeneic combination. In this model, the rejection course of the grafted intestine ...was evaluated endoscopically via double stomata and was classified into four stages. Early changes appeared on postoperative day 3. Stage I: The mucosa of the grafted intestine showed patchy paleness and loss of the capillary fine network patterns, accompanied by microerosions. Closer examination revealed irregularity of the epithelial height and arrangement. Stage II: The damage spread progressively over the entire mucosa on day 4-5. Stage III: On day 6-7, the necrotic epithelium became detached, showing multiple ulcers which provoked hemorrhagic enteritis. Stage IV: Graft rejection was completed with total necrosis and white scar tissue formation by day 10-14. These endoscopic findings of the mucosa of the grafted intestine corresponded closely to the time course of pathological examinations. We conclude that endoscopic examination of grafted intestine may be an effective diagnostic tool to detect the rejection phenomenon at an early stage, as well as a simple tool to use for postoperative follow-up in combination with pathological examination.
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