Figure 3

Representative immunohistochemical staining patterns of cleaved caspase-3 (A-C) and NF-κB p65 (D-F) in a normal liver showing negative staining for hepatocytes and Kupffer cells (A,D); in the livers of a severe P. falciparum malaria case without hyperbilirubinaemia (B,D) and with hyperbilirubinaemia (C,F). Hepatocytes are generally unaffected. Arrows show Kupffer cells lying next to the hepatic cord, within the sinusoidal area. In the normal liver, Kupffer cells are small, non-reactive and rarely express the cleaved caspase-3 marker (A) and show few NF-κB p65 (D) compared with severe P. falciparum malaria without hyperbilirubinaemia (B,E) and with hyperbilirubinaemia (C,F) where Kupffer cells are enlarged and hyperplastic. Most Kupffer cells containing haemozoin pigment (arrowheads) expressed apoptotic and NF-κB p65 markers. Numerous Kupffer cells show apoptosis (C) and NF-κB p65 expression (F) in severe P. falciparum malaria with hyperbilirubinaemia. All images are at 400x magnification; bars are 20 μm.