Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Mar 28, 2014; 20(12): 3312-3319
Published online Mar 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i12.3312
Myofibroblastic cell activation and neovascularization predict native liver survival and development of esophageal varices in biliary atresia
Janne S Suominen, Hanna Lampela, Päivi Heikkilä, Jouko Lohi, Hannu Jalanko, Mikko P Pakarinen
Janne S Suominen, Hanna Lampela, Mikko P Pakarinen, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Pediatric Liver and Gut Research Group, Children’s Hospital, University of Helsinki, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
Päivi Heikkilä, Jouko Lohi, Department of Pathology, HUSLAB, Helsinki University Central Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
Hannu Jalanko, Department of Paediatrics, Children’s Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
Author contributions: Suominen JS analyzed the immunohistochemistry; Heikkilä P and Lohi J evaluated the histological fibrosis scores; Lampela H gathered the clinical data on patients; Jalanko H and Pakarinen MP designed the study and all authors took actively part in the writing process.
Supported by Sigrid Juselius Foundation; and the Finnish Pediatric Research Foundation
Correspondence to: Janne S Suominen, MD, PhD, Department of Paediatric Surgery, Pediatric Liver and Gut Research Group, Children’s Hospital, University of Helsinki, Stenbäckinkatu 11, 00290 Helsinki, Finland. janne.suominen@hus.fi
Telephone: +358-5-4270746 Fax: +358-9-47175314
Received: October 2, 2013
Revised: November 27, 2013
Accepted: January 3, 2014
Published online: March 28, 2014
Processing time: 175 Days and 21 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: The majority of biliary atresia (BA) patients require liver transplantation (LTx) due to progressive hepatic fibrosis and associated portal hypertension. We aimed to relate expression of collagen 1, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and CD34 to the most essential portoenterostomy (PE) outcomes. Collagen 1, α-SMA and CD34 were markedly overexpressed in BA patients compared with controls and centrizonal neovascularization was increased in BA. Patients who underwent LTx by age of two years had significantly higher expression of collagen 1, α-SMA and CD34 at PE compared with native liver survivors. Fibrogenesis and neovascularization are enhanced in BA, progress with increasing PE age and relate to native liver survival and development of esophageal varices.