The extent of senescent BECs in small bile ducts and bile ductules was closely related to stage and activity of PBC and the increased expression of p16 <sup>INK4a</sup> in bile ductules was correlated with inadequate response to UDCA.
Telomere shortening and an accumulation of DNA damage coincide with increased expression of p16(INK4a) and p21(WAF1/Cip1) in the damaged bile ducts, characterize biliary cellular senescence, and may play a role in the following progressive bile duct loss in PBC.
Biliary epithelial cells (BECs) of chronic non-suppurative destructive cholangitis (CNSDC) in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) reportedly express p21(WAF1/Cip1) and p16(INK4a), which may induce cell cycle arrest and are related to progressive loss of BECs of PBC.
PATIENTS/SUBJECTS/METHODS: The methylation status of p16 was evaluated in 22 HCC, 17 cirrhosis, 17 chronic hepatitis, nine primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), eight autoimmune hepatitis, seven drug induced liver disease, six fatty liver, and three normal liver tissues using methylation specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP). p16 protein expression was also examined by immunohistochemical staining.