Increase of infiltrating monocytes in the livers of patients with chronic liver diseases.

Authors:
  • RHRui Huang
    Rui Huang
  • HWHongyan Wu
    Hongyan Wu
  • YLYong Liu
    Yong Liu
  • CYChenchen Yang
    Chenchen Yang
  • ZPZhiyun Pan
    Zhiyun Pan
  • JXJuan Xia
    Juan Xia
  • YXYali Xiong
    Yali Xiong
  • GWGuiyang Wang
    Guiyang Wang
  • JCJun Chen
    Jun Chen
  • XYXiaomin Yan
    Xiaomin Yan
  • ZZZhaoping Zhang
    Zhaoping Zhang
Google Scholar
  • 1 January 2016
    • journal article
Abstract
Infiltrating monocytes have been demonstrated to contribute to tissue damage in experimental models of liver injury and fibrosis. However, less is known about monocyte infiltration in the livers of patients with chronic liver diseases (CLD). In the present study, we demonstrated that CD68+ hepatic macrophages and MAC387+ infiltrating monocytes were significantly increased in the livers of CLD patients with different etiologies as compared with normal liver tissue. In addition, CLD patients with higher inflammatory grading scores had more CD68+ macrophages and MAC387+ monocytes infiltration in their livers compared to those with lower scores. Significantly more MAC387+ infiltrating monocytes were found in the liver tissue of CLD patients with higher fibrotic staging scores compared to those with lower scores. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) expression was significantly increased in the livers of CLD patients with different etiologies. MCP-1 staining scores were significantly positively associated with the numbers of MAC387+ infiltrating monocytes in CLD patients. Taken together, our results demonstrate that infiltrating monocytes may play a pathological role in exacerbating chronic liver inflammation and fibrosis in CLD. MCP-1 may be involved in the monocyte infiltration and progression of liver inflammation and fibrosis in CLD.