Different expression of hepatitis B surface antigen between hepatocellular carcinoma and its surrounding liver tissue, studied using a tissue microarray.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide and is highly associated with chronic liver disease, including hepatitis B viral infection. In order to study the association between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and HCC development, tissue microarrays were used to detect the expression of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in 194 HCCs and their surrounding liver tissues, using anti-HBsAg monoclonal antibody. The results showed that the expression of HBsAg is significantly lower in tumour tissue than in non-tumour tissue. Among the 138 cases with positive serum HBsAg, expression of HBsAg was more frequently detected in non-tumour tissue (103 cases, 75%) than in tumour tissue (11 cases, 8%). RT-PCR and Southern blot analysis were performed to explore the mechanism of the decreased expression of HBsAg in tumour cells. The RT-PCR results showed that absence or decreased expression of the HBV S gene was detected in 3/15 (20%) and 6/15 (40%) HCCs, respectively. Integration of HBV in 23 pairs of HCCs and their matched non-tumour liver tissues was studied by Southern blot. The results showed that the integrated HBV S gene sequence was detected in 19/23 tumours (83%) and 1/23 non-tumour tissues (4%), whereas the free replicative virus form was observed in 3/23 tumours (13%) and 14/23 non-tumour tissues (61%). These findings suggest that HBsAg-negative results in tumour tissues were directly related to HBV DNA insertion and provide new insights into the involvement of HBsAg in hepatocarcinogenesis.
Wang
Yi
Y
Eastern Hepatobilliary Surgery Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Wu
Meng-Chao
MC
Sham
Jonathan S T
JS
Tai
Lai-Shan
LS
Fang
Yan
Y
Wu
Wei-Qing
WQ
Xie
Dan
D
Guan
Xin-Yuan
XY
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000821:virology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D016662:Virus Integration
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens