Serum markers of hepatitis B virus replication, liver histology and intrahepatic expression of hepatitis B core antigen.
The presence and distribution of hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) was studied in the liver of 227 chronic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) to investigate its relationship with serum HBV-DNA, the status of hepatitis B 'e' antigen/antibody (HBeAg/anti-HBe) and the underlying liver disease. HBcAg was detected in 144 of the 227 (63%) liver specimens and HBV-DNA in 132 (58%) of the corresponding sera. Serum HBV-DNA showed a constant link with intrahepatic HBcAg. Out of 96 HBeAg-positive patients, 91 (95%) had HBcAg in the liver and 85 (89%) had HBV-DNA in serum. Overall there was a significant link between HBeAg and HBV-DNA in serum, but there was no correlation in 58 out of 227 (26%) cases. In HBeAg/HBV-DNA-positive carriers, HBcAg expression was predominantly nuclear. It was nuclear and cytoplasmic in patients with the highest levels of viremia. Eleven out of 13 (85%) HBV-DNA-positive patients who had only cytoplasmic HBcAg were HBcAg-negative and had low levels of HBV-DNA. Nine of 13 (69%) patients with exclusively cytoplasmic HBcAg had severe chronic liver disease. Neither the presence of HBV-DNA and HBeAg in serum nor the nuclear localization of HBcAg were associated with the severity of liver damage. In the group of HBV-DNA-positive patients (132), the presence of liver disease was significantly connected with the absence of HBeAg in serum (P less than 0.05; C.L. 3-35).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Ramalho
F
F
Department of Gastroenterology and Research Methodology, San Giovanni Battista Molinette Hospital, Torino, Italy.
Brunetto
M R
MR
Rocca
G
G
Piccari
G G
GG
Batista
A
A
Chiaberge
E
E
Lavarini
C
C
Dal Monte
R P
RP
Carneiro de Moura
M
M
Bonino
F
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004261:DNA Replication; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014779:Virus Replication
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens