Ultrastructure of Leu-7 positive cells (NK/K cells) in the liver tissue and peripheral blood of the patients with type B chronic active hepatitis.

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To evaluate the immunopathological role of natural killer (NK) cell and killer (K) cell (effector cell of ADCC) in type B chronic hepatitis, liver biopsy specimens and peripheral blood lymphocytes obtained from 15 patients were investigated by immunoperoxidase staining methods.<BR>The majority of Leu-7+ cells in the liver and peripheral blood were round or spherical in shape and the cell size ranged from 7μm to 11μm in diameter. They had irregular surfaced membrane formed by many projections like villus. The cytoplasm contained a few electron dense granules and vesicles. The nucleus presented reniform and had dense heterochromatin.<BR>Leu-7+ cells were occupied only 5.8% of mononuclear infiltrates in the liver and scattered throughout the hepatic lobules. There was no clustering of Leu-7+ cells located at the sites of piecemeal necrosis and focal necrosis. On the other hand Leu-2a+ cells infiltrated to these sites.<BR>In the electron microscopic observation, Leu-7+ cells were mainly distributed in the sinusoids of the liver and their contact with the hepatocytes was not recognized.<BR>There was no finding which suggested Leu-7+ cell cytotoxicity (natural killing and/or ADCC) against the hepatocytes in vivo.
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