IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS ON THE EXPRESSIONS OF MATURATION ASSOCIATED ANTIGENS, FC-GAMMA RECEPTORS AND CD14 IN NORMAL AND DISEASED HUMANLIVER MACROPHAGES

The functional heterogeneity of human liver macrophages was analyzed b y utilizing monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) that recognize antigens speci fic for the monocyte-macrophage lineage (Mo/Mac). Most liver macrophag es were positive for CD68, while there were few mature macrophages det ected by 25-F9. Most liver macrophages in the normal liver were negati ve for CD14, a receptor for lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and LPS binding p rotein (LBP) complexes. Liver macrophages in liver diseases were activ ated to express CD14 at varying degrees and were involved in the clear ance of LPS-LBP complexes. Fc gamma RI, a receptor for monomeric IgG t hat is involved in antibody-mediated cell cytotoxicity (ADCC), was neg ative in the normal liver, but was expressed in liver macrophages at i nflammatory sites such as piecemeal and focal necrosis in diseased liv ers. These results suggest that liver macrophages are heterogeneous in maturation and function.