D. Decraemer et al., MORPHOLOGICAL ADAPTATIONS OF HUMAN LIVER PEROXISOMES IN CHOLESTASIS, APMIS. Acta pathologica, microbiologica et immunologica Scandinavica, 106(2), 1998, pp. 339-344
Part of the bile acid synthesis takes place in peroxisomes. An altered
enterohepatic circulation of bile acids might influence peroxisomal b
eta-oxidation enzymes and peroxisomal morphology. We performed a morph
ological and morphometric investigation of peroxisomes in liver biopsy
samples of eight patients with cholestasis of different origin: graft
versus host reaction (n=1), obstruction of the bile flow (n=3), and d
rug-induced cholestatic hepatitis (n=4). Peroxisomes were identified u
sing catalase cytochemistry. They were regularly shaped and showed ind
ividual differences in electron density. A perinuclear distribution wa
s observed in a variable number of hepatocytes in each sample. Morphom
etric analysis of peroxisomes revealed an increase in numerical densit
y and surface density in all, and a decreased mean diameter in four li
ver samples. Based on previously obtained data in experimental animals
, we hypothesize that the observed alterations in peroxisomal morpholo
gy indicate an enhanced metabolic activity of the enzymes in the perox
isomal matrix. Among them are enzymes involved in bile acid synthesis.