Detection of hepatitis C virus RNA sequences in cholangiocarcinomas in Chinese and American patients.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the malignant transformation of bile duct cells. Tissues from 6 Chinese patients and 6 American patients with cholangiocarcinoma were studied.


METHODS
RNA was extracted from the selected tumor areas of formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded sections, followed by reverse transcription double polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Southern blotting.


RESULTS
Positive and negative strand HCV RNA sequences were detected in seven out of twelve patients with cholangiocarcinoma. A high positive rate was found in Chinese patients (83%) as compared to US patients (33%).


CONCLUSIONS
Our finding suggests HCV may play a role in the malignant transformation of bile duct cells.
Lu
H
H
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Tulane University, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, USA.
Ye
M Q
MQ
Thung
S N
SN
Dash
S
S
Gerber
M A
MA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D002681:China; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014481:United States
D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D012367:RNA, Viral