Procollagen type I production by hepatocytes: a marker of progressive liver disease?

The presence of collagen-producing cells and its relation to disease activity were determined in cryostat liver tissue sections from subjects with active cirrhosis (n = 15), inactive cirrhosis (n = 5), chronic persistent hepatitis (n = 8), or normal histology (n = 3) by means of an immunofluorescence technique using a monoclonal antibody to the carboxy-terminal domain of procollagen type I (anti-Pc). In all patients with active cirrhosis hepatocytes showed a strong intracellular staining with anti-Pc; in 4 of them bileducts also showed a membrane-like reaction. By contrast, tissue sections from chronic inactive liver disease and normal liver were essentially negative. These findings suggest that in chronic liver disease hepatocytes and sometimes biliary epithelium produce collagen and that production is related to disease activity. The detection of active production of procollagen type I by hepatocytes could become a useful marker of progressive liver disease.