ELEVATION OF SERUM EOSINOPHIL CATIONIC PROTEIN IN PRIMARY BILIARY-CIRRHOSIS

It has recently been reported that in patients with primary biliary ci rrhosis (PBC), eosinophils are not only increased in the peripheral bl ood, but also infiltrted in the liver portal tracts. There is general agreement that eosinophils and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) relea sed from eosinophils contribute to cellular damage, particularly in al lergic inflammation. In the present study, ECP was measured by the rad ioimmunoassay in sera of patients with a variety of liver diseases inc luding PBC. Serum ECP levels were significantly higher in patients wit h PBC than in those with chronic viral hepatitis, in those with liver cirrhosis, and in healthy subjects. There were no significant differen ces in serum ECP levels between symptomatic and asymptomatic PBC. The present study suggests that high levels of serum ECP may reflect high grades of eosinophil infiltration around the septal and interlobular b ile ducts characterized by chronic non-suppurative destructive cholang itis, particularly in the early stages of PBC.