Immunohistochemical microscopic analysis of bile duct destruction in primary biliary cirrhosis: Involvement of intercellular adhesion molecules

Abstract

In an attempt to elucidate the mechanism of the medium-sized bile duct destruction in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), expressions of the intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 and its ligand, lymphocyte function-associated antigen (LFA)-1 in chronic non-suppurative destructive cholangitis (CNSDC) were studied by the immunohistochemical microscopic analysis. Surgical liver biopsy specimens from six patients with PBC (Scheuer's stage I–II) and from four unicteric patients with gallstones (cholelithiasis) were observed by the indirect immunoperoxidase method using the monoclonal antibodies. In PBC, ICAM-1 was expressed on the epithelial cell plasma membranes of the medium-sized bile duct characterized by CNSDC. Some of LFA-1-positive lymphocytes were found to be in direct contact with the epithelial cells of the bile duct showing CNSDC. Some of these lymphocytes infiltrated around the bile duct were CD4 (helper/inducer)-positive T cells, others were CD8 (cytotoxic/suppressor)-positive T cells. The infiltrating rate of the both lymphocyte subsets was almost even. Expressions of ICAM-1 and its ligand, LFA-1, are essential for the activated T cell-mediated bile duct destruction in PBC.