Association between hepatocellular cytokeratin 7 expression and clinicopathological features of porto-sinusoidal vascular disease

Abstract

Abstract: Objective To investigate the correlation between hepatic cytokeratin 7 (CK7) expression and the clinicopathological features of porto-sinusoidal vascular disease (PSVD), and to evaluate the potential role of CK7 positivity in disease progression and clinical stratification. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on patients diagnosed with PSVD at Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, between January 2003 and July 2022. Patients were categorized into CK7-positive and CK7-negative groups based on immunohistochemical staining of hepatocytes. Clinical characteristics, biochemical parameters, liver stiffness measurement (LSM), and histological features were compared between groups. Prognostic outcomes were analyzed during follow-up. Results A total of 103 PSVD patients were included, with 21 (20.4%) showing CK7 positivity in hepatocytes. Compared with CK7-negative patients, the CK7-positive group exhibited higher levels of alkaline phosphatase (135.0 vs 76.4 U/L, P<0.001) and γ-glutamyl transferase (51.0 vs 24.5 U/L, P=0.005), lower albumin levels (34.0 vs 38.6 g/L, P=0.004), and higher LSM values (13.6 vs 8.7 kPa, P=0.004). Histologically, nodular regenerative hyperplasia and perisinusoidal fibrosis were more frequent in the CK7-positive group (33.3% and 52.4%, respectively; both P<0.001). During a median follow-up of 26 months, the five-year cumulative survival rate was 94.4%, with no significant difference in liver transplantation/death or portal hypertension-related complications between groups. Conclusion Hepatocellular CK7 positivity in PSVD is associated with cholestatic biochemical abnormalities, increased liver stiffness, nodular regenerative hyperplasia, and perisinusoidal fibrosis. CK7-positive expression may indicate a more active hepatocellular regenerative state and serve as a potential histological marker for assessing tissue heterogeneity and disease progression in PSVD.

Key words: Cytokeratin 7, Portosinusoidal vascular disease, Cholestasis, Perisinusoidal fibrosis

SHAN Shan, MA Lin, ZENG Xin, WANG Yu, ZHANG Guan-hua, ZHAO Xin-yan. Association between hepatocellular cytokeratin 7 expression and clinicopathological features of porto-sinusoidal vascular disease[J]. Chinese Hepatolgy, 2026, 31(1): 81-88.

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