Korean J Hepatol.  1998 Sep;4(3):254-263.

Ito Cell Activity and Hepatocyte Proliferation Activity According to Collagen Content in Liver Cirrhosis

• Jang KT
• Jung YM
• Lim IK
• Lee YS
• Myung NK
• Kim MR
• Lee MJ
• Jang JJ

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Liver cirrhosis is an end-stage liver disease. Ito cell is known to have central role in fibrogenes is of liver cirrhosis. But collagen content and Ito cell activity in liver cirr hosis have received little attention. So Ito cell activity and hepatocyte proliferation activity according to collagen content was investigated. WAF-1 and c- met were studied to evaluate the effect of cell cycle.
METHODS
We analyzed 56 cases of liver cirrhosis ( viral:41, biliary:11, alcoholic:2, Wilson' s disease:2). Collagen content was measured by spectrophot ometry. Ito cell activity and prolifer ation index was measured by-SMA and Ki- 67 immunohistochemistry.
RESULTS
In viral cirrhosis, high collagen group showed increased Ito cell activity compared to low collagen group. There was no difference in hepatocyte prolifer ation activity bet ween high and low collagen group in viral cirrhosis. In biliary cirrhos is, high collagen group showed increased Ito cell activity in septal zones compared to low collagen group. WAF- 1and c- met were negative in most of cases.
CONCLUSION
Collagen content of liver cirrhosis is closely related to increment of activated Ito cells . Ito cell activity was prominent in septal zones than in parenchymal areas of viral cirrhosis and that was only significant in septal zones of biliary cirrhosis. There is no correlation bet ween collagen content and hepatocyte proliferation activity.

Keyword

Cirrhosis; Collagen; Ito cell; a-SMA; Proliferation activity

MeSH Terms

Cell Cycle
Collagen*
Fibrosis
Hepatic Stellate Cells
Hepatocytes*
Immunohistochemistry
Liver Cirrhosis*
Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary
Liver Diseases
Liver*
Collagen