Chinese Hepatolgy ›› 2025, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (4): 529-531.

• Other Liver Diseases • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Preliminary study on histopathology of drug-induced liver injury induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors

Guo Linlin, Chang Jing, Zhou Guangde   

  1. Department of Pathology, Beijing You'an Hospital,Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
  • Received:2024-07-08 Online:2025-04-30 Published:2025-06-17
  • Contact: ZHOU Guang-de, Email: guangdez@sina.com

Abstract: Objective To explore the histopathological characteristics of immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced liver injury (ICIs-DILI). Methods Three liver biopsy specimens of ICIs-DILI were stained with Hematoxylin eosin staining Rhodanine copper staining, Prussian blue iron staining, CD3, CD20, mum-1 and CK19 immunohistochemical staining, and the histopathological changes of ICIs-DILI were observed. Results All three cases showed cholestasis, bile thrombosis of canalicular cholestasis and hepatocyte necrosis in different degrees. Microgranuloma was found in lobules, interlobular bile duct was damaged with bile ductular reaction, and light-to-moderate mixed inflammatory cells infiltrated in portal area, and plasma cells were seen. Conclusion Liver histopathology of ICIs-DILI has its relative pathological characteristics, both hepatocytes and epithelial cells of bile duct are involved, especially the bile duct injury deserves clinical attention. The definite diagnosis of ICIs-DILI should be combined with clinic and pathology.

Key words: Immune checkpoint inhibitor, ICIs-DILI, Histopathology