[Expression of bcl-2, bax and hepatocyte apoptosis in the liver tissues of hepatitis D patients].
OBJECTIVE
To study the role of bcl-2, bax and hepatocyte apoptosis in the pathogenesis of hepatitis D.


METHODS
Expression of HDAg, bcl-2, bax, and hepatocyte apoptosis in liver specimens of 77 patients with hepatitis D were studied by immunohistochemistry, double labelling and serial sections, and TUNEL assay. Six-seven hepatitis B patients served as control.


RESULTS
Bcl-2 and bax were mainly expressed in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes, and HDAg mainly in the nucleus of hepatocytes. A large number of HDAg and bax positive cells were distributed among infiltrating lymphocytes at the periportal region in which many apoptosis hepatocytes were found. There were positive correlations between the expression of bax, HDAg and hepatocyte apoptosis (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The distribution and the expression of bax, HDAg and hepatocyte apoptosis are significantly correlated with the activity of inflammation and the severity of the liver damage. Hepatitis D virus infection may induce the expression of bax in the hepatocytes and exacerbate hepatocyte apoptosis through which take a part in the pathogenesis of hepatitis D.
Gu
X
X
Infectious Disease Center, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
Li
Q
Q
Wang
Y
Y
D017209:Apoptosis; D018963:Hepatitis Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D035923:Hepatitis delta Antigens; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
C494826:BAX protein, human; D018963:Hepatitis Antigens; D035923:Hepatitis delta Antigens; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; C442244:hepatitis delta virus large antigen