Background. The frequency of apoptosis in bile duct cells of primary biliar
y cirrhosis is still unclear spanning from rare to 50% in the various repor
ts.
Aim, To study bile duct cell apoptosis in stage I primary biliary cirrhosis
lesions.
Patients. Nine stage I-II biopsies with a total number of 26 bile ducts of
different sizes, selected from a larger series on the basis of the expressi
on on serial frozen sections of HLA-DR and Fas antigens.
Methods. Apoptosis was evaluated by a DNA fragmentation assay on frozen sec
tions, according to the manufacturer's protocol and by expression of apopto
sis related cytokeratin neoepitopes. Bile duct cell proliferation was asses
sed by MIB1 (Ki-67) expression.
Results. Apoptosis was frequently found in inflammatory cells of portal tra
cts and sinusoids. Apoptosis of hepatocytes was also systematically observe
d. Only 4 positive bile duct cells were found in 3 bile ducts from 3 biopsi
es. Quantitative evaluation was not attempted. Cholangiocyte proliferation
was observed in the same ducts and occasionally in other biopsies.
Conclusions, These data suggest that cholangiocyte death by apoptosis at th
e level of typical primary biliary cirrhosis lesions is a rare event, at le
ast in early stages of the disease. The observed rate of proliferation was
consistent with the rate of apoptosis.