Figure 1.

M2 macrophages (CD163+) infiltration increased with liver fibrosis progression. (A) The degree of liver fibrosis in different patients was assessed by hematoxylin-eosin staining according to the Metavir score system. F1, fibrosis around the portal vein; F2, fibrous interval around the portal vein; F3, a large number of fibrous intervals are formed between the portal vein and the central vein; F4, cirrhosis. HE staining, the grade of liver fibrosis was based on Metavir score, ×200-fold. (B) The expression of CD163 in liver tissues significantly increased as the fibrosis aggravated. (C) According to the degree of F0-F4 fibrosis based on the Metavir scoring system, we defined F0-F1, F2-F3, and F4 as mild, moderate, and severe liver fibrosis, respectively. The number of patients in mild degree was 21, in moderate degree was 34, in severe degree was 41. A significant difference was observed between mild and moderate fibrosis (P < 0.001), and between moderate and severe fibrosis (P = 0.007).