title: Detection of TT virus DNA in liver biopsies by in situ hybridization.
abstract: A novel hepatitis-associated virus named TT virus (TTV) has been isolated. However, its hepatotropism has not been proven. We have retrospectively analyzed the presence of TTV-DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and in situ hybridization in liver biopsies from 30 patients with liver disease (15 TTV-DNA-positive and 15 TTV-DNA-negative in serum), and prospectively in serum and liver from eight patients with normal liver histology. TTV-DNA was detected by PCR in the liver from the 15 patients with serum TTV-DNA and in serum and liver of two of the eight patients without liver disease. TTV-DNA titers in liver were 10 times higher than in serum, although no correlation between TTV-DNA titers in serum and liver were observed. In situ hybridization shows positive signals in the hepatocytes of the 17 patients infected by TTV but in none of the TTV-DNA-negative patients by PCR. No morphological changes were observed in the hepatocytes showing hybridization signals. The percentage of positive hepatocytes ranged from 2.1% to 30% and correlated with the TTV-DNA titers in liver (r = 0.54; P = 0.037). In conclusion, our results show that TTV is able to infect liver cells although they do not support a role for TTV in causing liver disease.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Hepatology and Pathology, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Iñigo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casqueiro
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bartolomé
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ortiz-Movilla
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: López-Alcorocho
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Herrero
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Manzarbeitia
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oliva
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Carreño
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D001706:Biopsy; D018136:Circoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D004267:DNA Viruses / Q000235:genetics*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral