Fatal familial cholestatic syndrome in Greenland Eskimo children

Summary We report the first detailed study of hepatic morphlogy in 28 biopsies from 16 Greenland Eskimo children with fatal familial cholestatic syndrome. The changes were categorized as early, intermediate and late. In the early stage, until 5 months of age, changes were restricted to zone 3, consisting of cholestasis and rosette formation without fibrosis. In the intermediate stage, from 5 to 14 months, cholestasis persisted and rosette formation increased, both with further extension into zone 2. Perisinusoidal fibrosis developed, first in zone 3 and later in zone 1. The late stage, from 17 to 60 months, showed a further increase in cholestasis and rosette formation, and fibrosis of zones 3 and 1 in nearly all biopsies. Portal to portal and portal to central fibrosis was evident with resulting cirrhosis in 2 of 7 patients. The morphological features can be summarized as pure cholestasis with prominent rosette formation followed by zone 3 fibrosis, zone 1 fibrosis, and, cirrhosis. Other characteristics are the virtual absence of inflammation and the lack of anatomical abnormalities such as paucity of bile ducts. The changes and their progression resemble those of Byler disease. Clinical and biochemical features are also largely similar, except for the presence of thrombocytosis in many of the Eskimo patients.     

Soluble interleukin-2 receptor and soluble CD8 in liver cirrhosis and obstructive jaundice.

Activated lymphocytes secrete soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R); CD8-positive lymphocytes secrete soluble CD8 (sCD8). Liver dysfunction in cirrhosis and obstructive jaundice is known to result in depressed cellular immunity. To evaluate whether this is due to real inactivation of the immune system, we measured sIL-2R and sCD8 in the serum of 46 patients with liver cirrhosis, 25 patients with obstructive jaundice, 32 patients with alcoholic liver disease without evidence of cirrhosis, 23 healthy persons and 43 patients with unrelated disease. sIL-2R in patients with cirrhosis (mean +/- s.e.m. 1499 +/- 140 U/ml) and obstructive jaundice (1517 +/- 204) was significantly increased compared with healthy subjects (363 +/- 29) and patients with unrelated diseases (685 +/- 92); sCD8 was significantly increased in patients with cirrhosis (737 +/- 63) but not in patients with obstructive jaundice (419 +/- 32) compared with healthy subjects (322 +/- 23) and patients with unrelated diseases (375 +/- 22). No difference was found between patients with cirrhosis due to alcohol abuse (n = 15) and chronic hepatitis B (n = 6). The Child-Pugh score had no significant influence on the sIL-2R or sCD8 value. In obstructive jaundice, sIL-2R correlated with alkaline phosphatase as marker of cholestasis (r = 0.43). These data show that in spite of the apparent depressed cellular immune defense both in liver cirrhosis and obstructive jaundice there is a general activation of the immune system but the CD8+ cell compartment is only activated in liver cirrhosis. The great changes of sIL-2R and sCD8 in liver dysfunction are important for the interpretation of studies using these serum proteins as markers for immune activation.     

硫代乙酰胺所致急性肝衰时内毒素血症与肝内胆汁淤积关系的研究

本实验采用硫代乙酰胺（thioacetamide，TAA）灌胃复制大鼠急性肝功能衰竭的动物模型。检测血中内毒素、转氨酶、脂蛋白-x等含量以及胆汁流量。结果表明，大鼠发生了肝内胆汁淤积与内毒素血症（ETM），并且两者呈正相关（P＜0．05）。同时肝细胞膜上Na -K -ATP酶的活力明显降低，与ETM含量呈负相关（P＜0．05）。结果提示：ETM与肝内胆汁淤积的发生有密切关系．     

Simultaneous evaluation of lymphocyte subpopulations in the liver and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of HCV-infected patients: relationship with histological lesions

Intrahepatic lymphocytes are believed to be involved in the immunopathogenesis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and the evolution of HCV-induced hepatitis. In the present study, we examined the three main intrahepatic lymphocyte subsets, namely CD3+CD56- conventional T lymphocytes, CD3+CD56+ natural T (NT) lymphocytes and CD3-CD56+ natural killer (NK) lymphocytes in HCV-infected patients. The proportion of each lymphocyte subset was evaluated both in liver biopsies and in samples of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) by flow cytometry in 21 patients with histologically proven chronic hepatitis C. Simultaneously, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, viral load and histological lesions were assessed. Neither NT nor NK populations correlated with any biochemical, viral or histological parameters. Furthermore, Valpha24+ NT lymphocytes showed no preferential enrichment in the liver of HCV-infected patients. Regarding conventional T lymphocytes, a highly significant linear correlation was found between intrahepatic CD3+CD56- T lymphocytes and the Knodell score, a numerical score for assessing histological activity and fibrosis (r = 0.715, P < 0.0001) and more specifically with the periportal necrosis parameter, which is the main lesion of chronic hepatitis C. In addition, analysis of the peripheral compartment revealed a high correlation between values of CD3+CD56- lymphocytes and both Knodell score (r = 0.624, P = 0.003) and serum ALT levels and again with periportal necrosis. The strong correlation between the proportion of peripheral CD3+CD56- conventional T lymphocytes and the severity of hepatic lesions leads us to propose that evaluation of this accessible peripheral population could be used as an indicator test for the severity of histological lesions in chronic hepatitis C. Abbreviations:     

Absence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma confirmed by lack of EBV-coded nuclear RNA and latent membrane protein-1

AIMS: Studies are disclosing that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is involved in the aetiology of various neoplasms including undifferentiated carcinomas of the aerodigestive tract. The aetiology of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), a malignant neoplasm arising from intrahepatic biliary epithelia, has yet to be fully evaluated. To date, two cases of EBV-related ICC have been reported, and they presented foci of lymphoepitheliomatous undifferentiated carcinoma components. METHODS AND RESULTS: To determine whether EBV is commonly involved in the developments of ICC, we performed in-situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry for EBV in 215 cases of ICC in Japan, using a probe against EBV-coded nuclear RNA (EBER) and a specific antibody against latent membrane protein-1 (LMP-1), respectively. We did not detect EBV-infected carcinoma cells in any of the ICC cases examined. No lymphoepitheliomatous undifferentiated carcinoma components were found either. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that EBV infection is unlikely to be involved in the pathogenesis of ICC.     

Expression of alpha-amylase isoenzymes and trypsin by the proliferating epithelium of large intrahepatic bile ducts and intrahepatic peribiliary glands in hepatolithiasis

The expression of alpha-amylase isoenzymes (pancreatic and salivary) and trypsin by the epithelium of large intrahepatic bile ducts and peribiliary glands was examined immunohistochemically in hepatolithiasis ( n = 22), extrahepatic biliary obstruction ( n = 20) and normal liver ( n = 22). Hepatolithiasis was associated with marked proliferation of bile duct cells and peribiliary glands. Expression of pancreatic and salivary amylase was observed in the proliferating bile duct cells and peribiliary glands of all livers, and trypsin was found in 68% of the livers. In extrahepatic biliary obstruction, proliferation of the biliary epithelium was less marked, but expression of amylase isoenzymes was observed in all livers and trypsin was found in 50%. All normal livers showed expression of amylase isoenzymes in large intrahepatic bile ducts, septal bile ducts and peribiliary glands, and trypsin was found in 73%. The density of enzyme-containing acini was highest in hepatolithiasis, intermediate in extrahepatic biliary obstruction and lowest in normal liver. These results show that the proliferating biliary epithelium in hepatolithiasis contains amylase isoenzymes and trypsin and that biliary epithelium retains the ability to produce these enzymes after proliferation, suggesting that a large amount of amylase isoenzymes and trypsin may be secreted into the bile ducts in hepatolithiasis. These enzymes may play an important role in the pathophysiology of hepatolithiasis.     

Risk of obstetric cholestasis in sisters of index patients

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the rate of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy in first-degree relatives of index patients. Index patients (n=65) with singleton pregnancies complicated by intrahepatic cholestasis were identified among the women (n=11 984) who gave birth at Kuopio University Hospital in 1994-1998. The pregnancy histories of relatives of 56 index patients were reviewed and the rate of cholestasis in first-degree relatives was compared with that in the general obstetric population. Obstetric cholestasis was experienced by 9% of the parous sisters and 11% of the mothers of the index patients. The risk per delivery was 6% in the first-degree relatives. The rate in the general obstetric population was 0.54%. The odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were 12.6 (5.6-28.1) for the sisters and 12.2 (6.2-24.2) for the mothers. Obstetric cholestasis clusters within some families and is under strong genetic influence, although the precise genetic pattern remains obscure. The sisters of index patients are at an increased risk of the disorder and may benefit from close obstetric care.     

Intravenous Lipid Emulsions in the Prevention and Treatment of Liver Disease in Intestinal Failure

The development of intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD) in pediatric and adult patients on parenteral nutrition is usually multifactorial in nature due to nutritional and non-nutritional causes. The role of lipid therapy as a contributing cause is well-established with the pathophysiological pathways now better understood. The review focuses on risk factors for IFALD development, biological effects of lipids, lipid emulsions and the mechanisms of lipid toxicity observed in laboratory animals followed by a synopsis of clinical studies in pediatric and adult patients. The introduction of fish oil-based lipid emulsions that provide partial or complete lipid replacement therapy has resulted in resolution of IFALD that had been associated with soybean oil-based therapy. Based on case reports and cohort studies in pediatric and adult patients who were at risk or developed overt liver disease, we now have more evidence that an early switch to partial or complete fish oil–based lipid therapy should be implemented in order to successfully halt and reverse IFALD.     

ABCB4基因突变合并巨细胞病毒感染致婴儿胆汁淤积症的诊治分析并文献复习

目的探讨ABCB4基因突变合并巨细胞病毒(CMV)感染致婴儿胆汁淤积症(IC)患儿的临床特征、基因检测结果和诊治方案。 方法选择2019年8月3日,于中山大学附属第七医院就诊并确诊为ABCB4基因突变合并CMV感染致IC的1例婴儿(女性,生后9个月)为研究对象。回顾性分析其临床病例资料,包括临床特征、实验室检查结果及基因检测结果。同时,检索国内外数据库中ABCB4基因突变所致IC患儿的相关文献,并进行文献复习。本研究遵循的程序符合2013年新修订的《世界医学协会赫尔辛基宣言》要求。 结果本例IC患儿在本院诊治结果如下。①病史采集：系G₂P₂,足月顺产,外观无异常,否认新生儿黄疸病史,生后2个月龄时出现皮肤及巩膜呈暗绿色,伴反复呕奶,当地医院治疗并诊断为胆汁淤积性肝病、CMV感染和泌尿系统感染,抗病毒治疗2周后好转出院。出院时,其血清总胆汁酸(sTBA)为152.8 μmol/L,CMV-DNA<4×10² copies/mL,口服熊去氧胆酸胶囊10 mg/(kg·d)治疗后,皮肤暗绿色逐渐消退,大、小便正常。出院后定期监测肝功能,sTBA、γ-谷氨酰转肽酶(GGT)仍然较正常值增高。②实验室检查：血清CMV免疫球蛋白(Ig)G抗体呈阳性、CMV IgM抗体呈阴性,CMV-DNA<55×10² copies/mL。基因检测结果：患儿及其父亲均携带ABCB4基因杂合变异。治疗结果：经口服熊去氧胆酸胶囊10 mg/(kg·d)及谷胱甘肽片0.1 g/次× 3次/d治疗后,对患儿定期复查sTBA、GGT。随访到18个月龄时,其各项指标逐渐恢复正常范围。③文献复习结果：共计检索到8篇国内外报道的因ABCB4基因突变引起IC相关文献,纳入14例IC患儿,均被诊断为进行性家族性肝内胆汁淤积3型(PFIC3),伴肝大,sTBA、GGT水平升高等。14例IC患儿中,共检测到ABCB4基因突变位点20个。其中,9例IC患儿接受熊去氧胆酸治疗,7例随访结果显示临床症状及实验室检查指标有所好转。 结论携带ABCB4基因突变,可引起IC。对于sTBA升高、肝酶异常的病因不明确、治疗效果不佳IC患儿,建议完善基因检测进一步排查ABCB4基因突变所致胆汁淤积症。