Journal of Molecular Biomarkers & Diagnosis

Hepatic Progenitor Cells and Cells Resistant to Apoptosis in Chronic HCV

Abstract

Maha M El-Sabaawy, Eman Abdelsameea, Ayat R Abdallah, Ahmed El-Refaey, Mervat Soltan and Nemine Ehsan

Background: Hepatic progenitor cells (HPC) as a hepatic regeneration reservoir, are now signified as one of the promising therapeutics. However, connection to cells resistant to apoptosis in pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) is still evolving.

Aim: title relationship between HPC and cells resistant to apoptosis in HCV along with liver disease severity and fibrosis progression. Methods: liver biopsies of 91 chronic HCV patients were immunohistochemically examined. Both demographic and clinical characteristics were sourced from the data registries. METAVIR scoring was unified for both Grading and staging. Immunostaining with CK7, Ki67, and bcl2 antibodies was done.

Results: Transaminases, platelets and prothrombin time exhibited significant relation with Ki67, CK7 both isolated and ductular and bcl2 both LPT and LAH. CK7 ductular showed association with fibrosis and necroinflammatory activity (P< 0.05), while non-significant relation was noticed with the CK7 isolated form and Ki67 (P> 0.05). Moreover, bcl2 both (LPT) and (LAH) demonstrated association with fibrosis and necroinflammatory activity (P< 0.05). Positive correlation between immunoexpression of HPCs both isolated (r=0.547, <0.001) and ductular with bcl2 LAH (r=0.476, p<0.001) was reported. bcl2 H showed positive correlation with the CK7 isolated form (r=0.476, p <0.001), with no correlation between it and the CK7 ductular (r=0.298, p= 0.003).

Conclusion: Hepatic progenitor cells and cells resistant to apoptosis are conversely interrelated to HCV pathogenesis with a pivotal role in disease severity and progression. It is a notion to be considered in development new therapies of HCV-related chronic liver disease.

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