HEPATIC NEOEXPRESSION AND INCREASED PLASMA-LEVELS OF LEWIS-Y, A CARBOHYDRATE ANTIGEN, IN CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY LIVER-DISEASES

The clinicopathologic relevance of the hepatic expression of Lewis Y ( Le(y)), a carbohydrate antigen, and its plasma levels was studied in b enign and malignant liver diseases. Tissue and plasma antigens, respec tively, were determined with an avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex metho d and a radioimmunoassay using monoclonal antibody AH6. Normal liver c ells and bile ductules did not express Le(y). In the inflammatory tiss ues, the liver cells and proliferated bile ductules expressed Le(y). T he strongest expression by the liver cells was observed in chronic act ive hepatitis with severe activity and that by the ductules in liver c irrhosis. Only 1 of 16 hepatocellular carcinomas expressed Le(y). The plasma levels of Le(y) increased significantly but nonspecifically in chronic persistent hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis, liver cirrhosi s, and hepatocellular carcinomas. It was concluded that (1) Le(y) is a n inflammation-associated but not a cancer-associated antigen; (2) the more the tissue damage advances, the more the antigen is expressed; a nd (3) hepatic and plasma Le(y) are, however, nonspecific markers of n ecroinflammatory liver diseases.