A prospective clinical investigation of 45 patients with lichen planus (LP) demonstrated a significant association between LP and chronic hepatitis C. Anti-hepatitis C virus (HCY) antibodies were found in 17 (37.8%) of the 45 LP patients. This was significantly higher than in the controls. This higher prevalence of anticHCV antibodies was found equally in both male and female patients in the three types of LP; cutaneous only type, mucous only type, and both cutaneous and mucous type. Most ofthe patients with positive anti-HCV antibodies had abnormal values of transaminase enzymes and/or a past history of chronic hepatitis. Histological and immunohistological investigations of three cases with LP and chronic hepatitis C demonstrated some morphologic similarities between these two diseases. Histopathologic findings of both LP and chronic hepatitis C were based on a T lymphocytic infiltrate with keratinocyte or hepatocyte damage. The degrees of infiltrating cells positive to UCHL-l, MX-panB, Leu-7, and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR antibodies in the chronic hepatitis C lesions seemed to be similar to those in the LP lesions. These results may support a possible relationship between LP and chronic hepatitis C and the hypothesis that LP may be associated with chronic liver diseases as a result of a cytotoxic attack on the hepatocytes. Table 1. Cases oflichen planus (LP) and controls Subjects and Methods Clinical investigationsForty-five patients with LP were observed in a pointed out since the 1970's (2-6); recently, several reports (7-10) have particularly indicated the involvement of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related chronic hepatitis (chronic hepatitis C) in the development of LP.In this study, we investigated the clinical and histopathologic association of LP with chronic hepatitis C.

Aberrant vessels, which are defined as dilated blood vessels immediately adjacent to the peripheral portal tract, appear under conditions of extrahepatic portal obstruction and nodular regenerative hyperplasia as well as idiopathic portal hypertension. Our study was undertaken to compare their morphological aspects in these three disease cases. Aberrant vessels were found in 84% of cases of idiopathic portal hypertension, 67% of cases of extrahepatic portal obstruction infantile type, 78% of cases of extrahepatic portal obstruction adult type and 83% of cases of nodular regenerative hyperplasia. They were divided into three types: type I--no communication with the portal vein, the lumen of which is normally open; type II--communication with the portal vein; and type III--no communication with the portal vein, which is occluded. The most common types of aberrant vessel were type III in idiopathic portal hypertension (51%), type I in extrahepatic portal obstruction infantile type (46%), type II in extrahepatic portal obstruction adult type (43%) and type III in nodular regenerative hyperplasia (45%). Serial sections revealed transition between types I, II and III, at frequencies between types II and III, types I and II, and types I and III of 35.7%, 33.7% and 30.6%, respectively. Aberrant vessels demonstrated the same immunoreactivity as portal veins for collagen type IV, laminin, factor VIII and ulex europaeus agglutinin-I. They were concluded to arise from the vasa septalis or inlet venules, which would be used as intrahepatic shunts draining portal blood flow blocked by stenosed portal veins. Increased portal pressure would be expected to enhance development of aberrant vessels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Recently, telomerase activity has been demonstrated in a large number of malignant tumors whereas its activity is not detected in most normal somatic cells suggesting its role in the immortalization process. Here we report the first investigation of telomerase activity in a case of gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. Elevated telomerase activity was detected in biopsy specimens of the lymphoma.After eradication of Helicobacter pylori, the level of telomerase activity returned to normal with histological regression of the lymphoma.The telomerase activity was associated with the disease activity of the gastric MALT lymphomaafter eradication therapy in the present case. (Internal Medicine 39: 300-304, 2000)

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Table 2 Histological distribution and amount of black pigment in the cases investigated.