Hepatocellular carcinoma in alcoholic liver disease: no evidence for a pathogenetic role of hepatitis B virus infection.
Hepatocellular carcinoma tissues from HBsAg-negative patients with chronic alcoholic liver disease were investigated for the presence of hepatitis B virus DNA. Southern blot analyses of DNA extracted from the hepatocellular carcinomas were negative for hepatitis B virus DNA in all 17 patients examined, at a level of sensitivity of less than 0.01 genome equivalent per cell. Similarly, in liver tissues from another 30 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis without hepatocellular carcinoma, no hepatitis B virus DNA was detectable. We conclude that in our patients there is no molecular evidence for a contribution of hepatitis B virus infection to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in alcoholic liver disease.
Walter
E
E
Department of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Federal Republic of Germany.
Blum
H E
HE
Meier
P
P
Huonker
M
M
Schmid
M
M
Maier
K P
KP
Offensperger
W B
WB
Offensperger
S
S
Gerok
W
W
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens