PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - C G Sutherland
AU  - A M al-Badri
AU  - A G Howatson
AU  - M A Farquharson
AU  - A K Foulis
TI  - Immunolocalization of alpha interferon in liver disease.
AID  - 10.1136/jcp.42.10.1065
DP  - 1989 Oct 01
TA  - Journal of Clinical Pathology
PG  - 1065--1069
VI  - 42
IP  - 10
4099  - http://jcp.bmj.com/content/42/10/1065.short
4100  - http://jcp.bmj.com/content/42/10/1065.full
SO  - J Clin Pathol1989 Oct 01; 42
AB  - The expression of immunoreactive alpha interferon was examined in 78 liver biopsy specimens using an indirect immunoperoxidase technique. Biopsy specimens included cases of acute viral hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis, large bile duct obstruction and normal liver. Kupffer cells were positive for alpha interferon in all cases. Hepatocytes were negative for alpha interferon in normal liver but in acute viral hepatitis were positive in perivenular and necrotic areas. Hepatocytes were positive in periportal areas, associated with piecemeal necrosis, in chronic active hepatitis and primary biliary cirrhosis, and were positive in perivenular areas in alcoholic hepatitis and large bile duct obstruction. The unexpected finding of alpha interferon in hepatocytes in non-viral liver disease indicates that the presence of this substance in liver cells cannot be taken as a specific marker of viral infection.