Liver Cirrhosis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Liver Cirrhosis, including details on alcohol, treatment, drugs, effects, causes.

Expression of Bax, Bcl-xL and Bcl-2 proteins in relation to grade of inflammation and stage of fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C.

Piekarska A, Kubiak R, Szymczak W, Piekarski J

Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Chair of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland. annapiekar@op.pl

AIMS: To determine the expression of regulators of apoptosis in chronic hepatitis C. METHODS AND RESULTS: Expression of Bax, Bcl-xL and Bcl-2 proteins was assessed immunohistochemically in liver biopsy specimens obtained from 89 adults with chronic hepatitis C. Expression of Bax in hepatocytes correlated inversely with grade of inflammation (P < 0.001) and stage of fibrosis (P = 0.011), classified according to the Scheuer score; expression of Bcl-xL in hepatocytes did not correlate with grade of inflammation (P = 0.106) or stage of fibrosis (P = 0.078); maximum Bcl-xL expression was observed in grade 3 inflammation and stage 4 fibrosis. Expression of Bcl-2 protein in hepatocytes was present in only two cases (both with advanced disease); the expression of Bcl-2 protein in interlobular bile duct epithelial cells correlated with the grade of inflammation (P = 0.018), but not with stage of fibrosis (P = 0.154). The expression of Bcl-2 protein in lymphoid cells infiltrating portal zones and lobules did not correlate with grade of inflammation (P = 0.113) or stage of fibrosis (P = 0.815). CONCLUSION: Major differences in expression of studied proteins were observed in relation to grade of inflammation and stage of fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C.

Published 4 June 2007 in Histopathology, 50(7): 928-35.
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