Role of CD56-expressing immature biliary epithelial cells in biliary atresia

Table 1 Patient medical histories

Patient characteristic	Disease
	BA-E	BA-ML	NH	CC	CC-AM
Number	41	44	32	65	32
Age1 (mo)	2.2 ± 1.0	2.4 ± 1.7	1.9 ± 1.0	43.4 ± 31.6	2.9 ± 2.5
Sex	M: 19F: 22	M: 30F: 14	M: 23 F: 9	M: 17F: 47	M: 9 F: 23

¹mean ± SD. BA: Biliary atresia; BA-E: Early stage of BA with less tissue fibrosis; BA-ML: Middle or late stage BA with more or dense tissue fibrosis; CC: Choledochal cyst; CC-AM: Patients aged < 1 year with CC; F: Female; M: Male.

Table 2 Clinical laboratory analysis of molecules in blood related to liver function

Population	Average (SD) value
	ALT (U/L)	AST (U/L)	γ-GT (U/L)	TP (g/L)	ALB (g/L)	GLO (g/L)	ALB GLO	TBIL (μmol/L)	DBIL (μmol/L)	IBIL (μmol/L)	TBA (μmol/L)
Normal ranges	9-50	5-60	10-60	65-85	40-55	20-40	1.2-2.4	2-17	0-7	2-13.7	0-15
BA (n = 85)	183.8 (167.9)	284.8 (279.8)	898.0 (724.0)	57.7 (6.7)	39.0 (5.6)	21.4 (28.8)	2.4 (0.9)	184.8 (60.6)	136.7 (45.7)	48.1 (20.7)	169.7 (79.5)
NH (n = 32)	251.9 (391.2)	372.7 (425.9)	271.7d (297.6)	61.3 (40.5)	38.1 (6.2)	39.4 (132.8)	(2.5 (0.8)	199.0 (96.5)	134.0 (86.7)	64.7 (39.2)	158.0 (96.0)
CC
All (n = 65)	105.0b (115.3)	208.9 (252.1)	575.4c (644.8)	62.1 (9.3)	41.1 (5.6)	24.3 (27.1)	3.2 (8.8)	88.8f (100.8)	47.2h (61.0)	41.6 (68.4)	77.7jl (124.1)
Aged < 1 yr (n = 32)	88.6a (104.3)	245.6 (326.1)	786.9e (759.2)	57.9 (7.7)	39.6 (5.0)	18.3 (4.4)	2.3 (0.5)	130.7g (116.8)	62.3i (71.4)	68.4 (88.1)	83.9km (91.1)
Aged > 1 yr (n = 33)	117.3 (116.8)	260.9 (264.2)	357.2 (408.4)	66.2 (9.2)	42.6 (5.8)	30.4 (37.4)	4.1 (12.4)	46.9 (58.2)	32.0 (44.6)	14.9 (16.7)	71.8 (150.7)

For the statistical analysis, the differences in BA, NH, and CC (total) for each clinical parameter were studied, we first used one-way ANOVA to determine whether the F test was significant and if so, Tukey’s multiple comparisons test was used. A similar procedure was used to analyze age-matched CC. Details of the F test results are shown in the results section.

^bP < 0.01 and

^aP < 0.05 vs NH;

^cP < 0.05 and

^dP < 0.001 vs BA;

^eP < 0.01 vs NH;

^fP < 0.001 and

^gP < 0.01 vs BA and NH;

^hP < 0.001 and

ⁱP < 0.001 vs BA and NH;

^jP < 0.001 and

^kP < 0.001 vs BA;

^lP < 0.01 and

^mP < 0.01 vs NH. ALB: Albumin; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; BA: Biliary atresia; CC: Choledochal cyst; DBIL: Direct bilirubin; γ-GT: Gamma-glutamyl transferase; GLO: Globulin; IBIL: Indirect bilirubin; NH: Neonatal hepatitis; TBA: Total bile acid; TBIL: Total bilirubin; TP: Total protein.

Table 3 Expression of CD56 in biliary atresia n (%)

Stage of BA	n	CD56++	CD56+	CD56-
All	55	27 (49.1)	14 (25.5)	14 (25.5)
BA-E without bile plugs	6	1 (16.7)	2 (33.3)	3 (50.0)
BA-E with bile plugs	21	10 (47.6)	5 (23.8)	6 (28.6)
BA-ML without bile plugs	6	4 (66.7)	1 (16.7)	1 (16.7)
BA-ML with bile plugs	22	12 (54.5)	6 (27.3)	4 (18.2)
All BA-E	27	11 (40.7)	7 (25.9)	9 (33.3)
All BA-ML	28	16 (57.1)	7 (25.0)	5 (17.9)
All without bile plugs	12	5 (41.7)	3 (25.0)	4 (33.3)
All with bile plugs	43	22 (51.2)	11 (25.6)	10 (23.3)

BA: Biliary atresia; BA-E: Early stage of BA with less tissue fibrosis; BA-ML: Middle or late stage BA with more extensive or dense tissue fibrosis.