[A histological examination of liver fibrosis and tissue prolyl hydroxylase in various liver diseases].

Prolyl hydroxylase (PH) is an enzyme acting in early stage of collagen synthesis. We have emphasized the significance of the measurement of serum PH (SIRPH) in relation to liver fibrosis mainly in patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD). In this study, we determined the localization and positivity of PH by tissue PH stain method (Avidin Biotin Complex method) to clarify the differences in fibrosis between ALD (25 cases) and non-alcoholic liver diseases (non-ALD, 47 cases). Tissue PH was found to be positive in liver cells around Glisson's sheath in early stage of fibrosis, and then in liver cells left within septa and also in mesenchymal cells in the sinusoidal wall as fibrosis progressed. Although there were basically no marked differences between ALD and non-ALD, ALD tended to show stronger tissue PH positivity for a degree of fibrosis, PH positivity in parenchymal cells was especially remarkable around pericellular fibrosis in ALD. These results clearly reflected the important role of liver parenchymal cells in progression of fibrosis.