Lipolysosomes in human hepatocytes: their increase in number associated with serum level of cholesterol in chronic liver diseases.

The clinical significance of hepatocellular lipolysosomes in patients with various liver diseases was investigated. Of the 102 cases studied, lipolysosomes were found in 78 cases or 76%. In patients with fatty change of the liver, hepatocellular lipolysosomes were found in 62 of 68 or 91%. In patients without fatty change, lipolysosomes were found in 16 of 34 or 47%. The lipolysosome:lipid ratio in the hepatocytes ranged from 0 to 10%. No differences were found in the lipolysosome:lipid ratios of patients with acute hepatitis, cholestasis, fatty liver, chronic hepatitis, or cirrhosis. In chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis with associated fatty change, the ratio was correlated with the serum level of cholesterol, whereas in fatty liver the ratio was not correlated with any parameters of patient's age, etiologic factors, or serum level of cholesterol. The findings suggest that lysosomal function is less significant as a pathogenesis of fat infiltration but lipolysosomes increase in number as a sequence of cholesterol overload to the liver.