Intrahepatic expression of pre-S proteins of hepatitis B virus and its possible relation to liver cell necrosis.
To assess the significance of intrahepatic expression of pre-S1 and S2 proteins of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in patients with HBV infection, an indirect immunoperoxidase technique employed monoclonal antibodies to pre-S proteins was used to detect pre-S1 and -S2 proteins in 80 liver specimens. The frequency of pre-S1 and -S2 proteins was 61.3% and 51.3%, respectively, and the co-expression of pre-S and HBsAg occurred in most specimens. The preferential expression of pre-S1 and -S2 in HBcAg-positive specimens suggests that pre-S proteins are associated with HBV replication. Membranous expression of both pre-S1 and -S2 is associated with inflammatory activity and liver cell necrosis. Furthermore, our results show that T cells, not NK or B cells, were the predominantly infiltrating cells in necrotic foci with pre-S expression. Almost all of these T cells may express HLA-DR antigen simultaneously; therefore, they are activated. In conjunction with these data, we conclude that, as the essential components of HBV envelope proteins, pre-S proteins may play an important role in resulting in liver cell necrosis.
Hu
K Q
KQ
Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical University, Wuhan, Hubei, The People's Republic of China.
Hao
L J
LJ
Zhang
Y Y
YY
Wang
Y K
YK
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000032:analysis*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000032:analysis*
D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D011498:Protein Precursors; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C050806:presurface protein 1, hepatitis B surface antigen; C050807:presurface protein 2, hepatitis B surface antigen