Defects of the respiratory chain in hepatic oncocytes

Oxyphilic hepatocytes, also called hepatic oncocytes, have been found in 20 of 47 cirrhotic livers (42%) with defects of the respiratory chain. Immunohistochemical studies using antisera against cytochrome-c-oxidase (complex IV) revealed respiratory chain-deficient oxyphilic foci in 16 of the 20 cases (75%). Fourteen percent of the oxyphilic areas were deficient, whereas only 8.5% of the nonoxyphilic liver nodules showed respiratory chain defects (P < 0.004). In addition, oxyphilic foci made up about 18% of all defective areas but were present in only 11.5% of the regenerative nodules. These results illustrate that oxyphilic cell change is associated with a higher propensity for the development of respiratory chain defects, but is not obligatory for this.