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Keratin 7 expression in hepatic cholestatic diseases.
S Sakellariou1, C Michaelides1, T Voulgaris2
11st Department of Pathology, Medical School, Laiko General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias str, 11527, Athens, Greece.
Virchows Archiv : an International Journal of Pathology
|July 27, 2021
Summary
Keratin 7 (K7) hepatocellular expression is a sensitive marker for cholestasis, appearing in 87% of patients. This finding may indicate a protective response in resting hepatocytes, particularly in chronic cholestatic conditions.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Immunohistochemistry
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Cholestatic liver diseases involve bile duct obstruction or damage.
- Hepatocellular keratin 7 (K7) expression is not well-characterized in various cholestatic conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate hepatocellular K7 expression in patients with different types of acute and chronic cholestatic diseases.
- To correlate K7 expression with clinical and histological features of cholestasis.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemistry was used to assess K7 expression in hepatocytes from 92 patients with cholestatic diseases.
- K7 expression was semi-quantitatively assessed and correlated with liver enzymes, disease type, histology, Ki67 labeling index, and HepPar1 expression.
Main Results:
- Hepatocellular K7 expression was detected in 87% of patients across all cholestatic disease types.
- K7 expression was highest in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and incomplete bile duct obstruction (iBDO), and lowest in mixed/pure cholestasis.
- K7-positive hepatocytes showed low proliferation (Ki67 LI) and retained HepPar1 expression, correlating with cholestasis type, bile duct loss, and fibrosis stage.
Conclusions:
- Hepatocellular K7 expression is a sensitive but non-specific marker for cholestasis.
- K7 expression may represent a cytoprotective reaction in resting hepatocytes, especially in prolonged cholestasis and younger patients.
- K7 expression patterns may assist in the differential diagnosis of cholestatic syndromes, particularly in PSC.
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