Ursodeoxycholic acid reduces expression of heat shock proteins in primary biliary cirrhosis

• Published in: Liver (Copenhagen) 2000-02, Vol.20 (1), p.78-87
• Main Authors: Sakisaka, Shotaro, Koga, Hironori, Sasatomi, Kurumi, Ohishi, Masahito, Kawaguchi, Takumi, Harada, Masaru, Taniguchi, Eitaro, Uchimura, Yasuyo, Ueno, Takato, Sata, Michio, Tanikawa, Kyuichi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic - drug effects; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic - metabolism; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic - pathology; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Count - drug effects; Cholagogues and Choleretics - pharmacology; Cholangitis, Sclerosing - drug therapy; Cholangitis, Sclerosing - metabolism; Epithelial Cells - drug effects; Epithelial Cells - metabolism; Epithelial Cells - pathology; Female; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Hepatitis C, Chronic - drug therapy; Hepatitis C, Chronic - metabolism; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins - analysis; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins - metabolism; Humans; Immunoblotting; immunohistochemistry; Liver - chemistry; Liver - drug effects; Liver - metabolism; Liver - pathology; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary - drug therapy; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary - metabolism; Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Other diseases. Semiology; primary sclerosing cholangitis; Ubiquitins - analysis; Ubiquitins - metabolism; Ursodeoxycholic Acid - pharmacology; viral hepatitis
• ISSN: 0106-9543; 1600-0676
• DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0676.2000.020001078.x

: Background/Aims: To identify injured cells in the liver of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and to determine the effects of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) on these cells, we examined the cellular expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) in PBC both before and after treatment with UDCA. Methods: Expression of HSP70 and ubiquitin in PBC livers (n=34) was evaluated immunohistochemically as well as by immunoblot analysis, and compared with chronic viral hepatitis type C (n=9), primary sclerosing cholangitis (n=8), and controls (n=7). Results: Immunoblot analysis demonstrated a marked expression of HSP70 and ubiquitin in PBC. Immunohistochemical staining for both HSP70 and ubiquitin was observed to be strong in biliary epithelial cells (BECs) and moderate in both hepatocytes and arteries in PBC. Cellular labelling rates for HSP70 and ubiquitin of bile ducts in PBC were significantly higher (p