Immunohistochemical detection of HCV infection in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and other liver diseases.
AIM:To detect HCV infection in patients with HCC and other liver diseases by the immunohistochemical method.METHODS: The expression of HCV antigen was identified by means of LSAB (labelled streptavidin-biotin) method using anti-NS3 monoclonal antibody.RESULTS: The positive rates of HCV antigen in the three groups of HCC, liver cirrhosis and hepatitis were 13.5% (7/52), 12.5% (2/16), and 10% (4/40) respectively, while in the samples from patients with constitutional jaundice and normal liver samples, no HCV antigen was found. HCV antigen could be seen in the nuclei and/or cytoplasms of carcinoma cells and/or pericancerous hepatocytes. In HCC, HCV antigen was more often seen in nuclei than in cytoplasms. The positive rate of HCV antigen in pericancerous tissues was higher than that in cancerous tissues.CONCLUSION: HCV is associated with HCC,and HCV infection enhances the development of liver diseases. HCV affects the initiative period of HCC and induces the malignant phenotypic alteration of hepatocytes.
Zhang
Li-Fa
LF
Peng
Wen-Wei
WW
Yao
Ji-Lu
JL
Tang
Yong-Huang
YH