Guido Carpino1, Vincenzo Cardinale2, Anastasia Renzi3, Johannes R Hov4, Pasquale Bartolomeo Berloco5, Massimo Rossi5, Tom H Karlsen4, Domenico Alvaro2, Eugenio Gaudio6. 1. Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, Division of Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy. 2. Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Polo Pontino, Italy. 3. Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, Italy. 4. Norwegian PSC Research Center, Department of Transplantation Medicine, Division of Cancer, Surgery and Transplantation, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Norway; Research Institute of Internal Medicine, Division of Cancer, Surgery and Transplantation, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Norway; K.G. Jebsen Inflammation Research Centre, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. 5. Department of General Surgery and Organ Transplantation, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. 6. Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, Italy. Electronic address: eugenio.gaudio@uniroma1.it.
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is characterised by fibro-stenosing strictures involving extrahepatic and/or large intrahepatic bile ducts. Mechanisms leading to bile duct injury are poorly understood. We aimed to study the biliary tree stem cell compartment located in peribiliary glands of extrahepatic and large intrahepatic bile ducts and its role in the pathogenesis of biliary fibrosis in PSC. METHODS: Specimens containing extrahepatic or large intrahepatic bile ducts were obtained from normal liver (n=6), liver explants from patients with PSC (n=11), and primary biliary cirrhosis (n=6). Specimens were processed for histology, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: In PSC samples, progressive hyperplasia and mucinous metaplasia of peribiliary glands were observed in large ducts with fibrosis, but not in inflamed ducts without fibrosis. Peribiliary gland hyperplasia was associated with progressive biliary fibrosis and the occurrence of dysplastic lesions. Hyperplasia of peribiliary glands was determined by the expansion of biliary tree stem cells, which sprouted towards the surface epithelium. In PSC, peribiliary glands and myofibroblasts displayed enhanced expression of Hedgehog pathway components. Peribiliary glands in ducts with onion skin-like fibrosis expressed epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition traits associated with components of Hedgehog pathway, markers of senescence and autophagy. CONCLUSIONS: The biliary tree stem cell compartment is activated in PSC, its activation contributes to biliary fibrosis, and is sustained by the Hedgehog pathway. Our findings suggest a key role for peribiliary glands in the progression of bile duct lesions in PSC and could explain the associated high risk of cholangiocarcinoma.
BACKGROUND & AIMS:Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is characterised by fibro-stenosing strictures involving extrahepatic and/or large intrahepatic bile ducts. Mechanisms leading to bile duct injury are poorly understood. We aimed to study the biliary tree stem cell compartment located in peribiliary glands of extrahepatic and large intrahepatic bile ducts and its role in the pathogenesis of biliary fibrosis in PSC. METHODS: Specimens containing extrahepatic or large intrahepatic bile ducts were obtained from normal liver (n=6), liver explants from patients with PSC (n=11), and primary biliary cirrhosis (n=6). Specimens were processed for histology, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: In PSC samples, progressive hyperplasia and mucinous metaplasia of peribiliary glands were observed in large ducts with fibrosis, but not in inflamed ducts without fibrosis. Peribiliary gland hyperplasia was associated with progressive biliary fibrosis and the occurrence of dysplastic lesions. Hyperplasia of peribiliary glands was determined by the expansion of biliary tree stem cells, which sprouted towards the surface epithelium. In PSC, peribiliary glands and myofibroblasts displayed enhanced expression of Hedgehog pathway components. Peribiliary glands in ducts with onion skin-like fibrosis expressed epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition traits associated with components of Hedgehog pathway, markers of senescence and autophagy. CONCLUSIONS: The biliary tree stem cell compartment is activated in PSC, its activation contributes to biliary fibrosis, and is sustained by the Hedgehog pathway. Our findings suggest a key role for peribiliary glands in the progression of bile duct lesions in PSC and could explain the associated high risk of cholangiocarcinoma.
Authors: Jesus M Banales; Jose J G Marin; Angela Lamarca; Pedro M Rodrigues; Shahid A Khan; Lewis R Roberts; Vincenzo Cardinale; Guido Carpino; Jesper B Andersen; Chiara Braconi; Diego F Calvisi; Maria J Perugorria; Luca Fabris; Luke Boulter; Rocio I R Macias; Eugenio Gaudio; Domenico Alvaro; Sergio A Gradilone; Mario Strazzabosco; Marco Marzioni; Cédric Coulouarn; Laura Fouassier; Chiara Raggi; Pietro Invernizzi; Joachim C Mertens; Anja Moncsek; Sumera Rizvi; Julie Heimbach; Bas Groot Koerkamp; Jordi Bruix; Alejandro Forner; John Bridgewater; Juan W Valle; Gregory J Gores Journal: Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol Date: 2020-06-30 Impact factor: 46.802
Authors: Jesus M Banales; Vincenzo Cardinale; Guido Carpino; Marco Marzioni; Jesper B Andersen; Pietro Invernizzi; Guro E Lind; Trine Folseraas; Stuart J Forbes; Laura Fouassier; Andreas Geier; Diego F Calvisi; Joachim C Mertens; Michael Trauner; Antonio Benedetti; Luca Maroni; Javier Vaquero; Rocio I R Macias; Chiara Raggi; Maria J Perugorria; Eugenio Gaudio; Kirsten M Boberg; Jose J G Marin; Domenico Alvaro Journal: Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol Date: 2016-04-20 Impact factor: 46.802