Comparison between Ballooned Hepatocytes Occurring in Human Alcoholic and Nonalcoholic Liver Diseases

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Abstract
To establish dearly what the pathogenetic differences are in the, hepatocytic ballooning, between human alcoholic and nonalcoholic] liver diseases, hepatic microtubules were examined by morphomet‐ric and biochemical methods, and staining of transferrin was carried out on liver sections immunohistochemicaHy. Microheterogeneity of serum transferrin was also detected by immunofixation after isoe‐] lectric focusing. Hepatic microtubules were significantly decreased in alcoholic liver disease, and transferrin was clearly stained in the ballooned hepatocytes of alcoholic liver disease but not in nonalcoholic tver disease. The degree to which transferrin was stained was related to hepatic microtubutar contents and also related to the appearance of the microheterogeneity of serum transferrin in alcoholic Uver disease. These findings indicate that ballooning of hepatocytes in alcoholic liver disease, but not in nonalcoholic liver disease, is caused by the accumulation of exportable proteins due to impairment of rmcrotubular polymerization. This accumulation might be related to the inhibition of gtycosytation and secretion of glycoproteins by the impairment of microtubular functions. From these results, it was determined that staining of transferrin in the liver may be useful for differentiation of the etiology of liver diseases.