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Cheeney G, Pac LJ, Gopal P, Landis CS, Konnick EQ, Swanson PE, Greene DN, Lockwood CM, Westerhoff M. Increased Frequency of Heterozygous Alpha-1-Antitrypsin Deficiency in Liver Explants From Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Patients. Liver Transpl 2020; 26:17-24. [PMID: 31597010 DOI: 10.1002/lt.25652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cirrhotic explanted livers occasionally have unexpected periodic acid-Schiff-diastase (PASD)-positive globules within the hepatocyte cytoplasm. It is often unclear whether this finding is a nonspecific consequence of cirrhosis or is indicative of an underlying alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (A1ATD) contributing to the cirrhosis. In this study, explanted livers were retrospectively evaluated for histopathology (including PASD status with confirmatory alpha-1-antitrypsin [A1AT] immunohistochemistry [IHC]), and chart review provided etiology of liver failure and general clinical parameters. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to detect A1AT genotype (SERPINA1 S and Z alleles) by melting curve analysis on liver explant tissue from selected cases. Of 196 explanted livers, 21 (11%) had PASD+ globules, which were significantly enriched in patients with a clinical diagnosis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH; 47%) compared with other causes (P < 0.001). IHC confirmed all PASD+ globules were A1AT+, with 20 of 21 cases demonstrating diffuse A1AT staining. In an expanded NASH cohort, 42% (14/33) of explants had PASD+ globules, 92% of which were homozygous (n = 1) or heterozygous (n = 11) for the SERPINA1 Z allele, corresponding to nearly 40% of all NASH patients. Overall, the Z allele was present in 10% of all tested liver explants, with 85% of PASD+ cases genotyping homozygous (n = 2) or heterozygous (n = 20), which is far in excess of the estimated 2% in the general population. These results indicate PASD+ A1AT globules (with confirmatory genotyping showing at least 1 Z allele) are commonly observed in NASH, suggesting a synergistic relationship toward liver fibrosis. In addition, the high frequency of SERPINA1 Z alleles in liver transplantation patients supports the utility of pretransplant genotyping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Cheeney
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
| | - Lincoln J Pac
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Purva Gopal
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Charles S Landis
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
| | - Eric Q Konnick
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
| | - Paul E Swanson
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
| | - Dina N Greene
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
| | - Christina M Lockwood
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
| | - Maria Westerhoff
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI
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