Correlation of clinical characteristics with detection of hepatitis B virus X gene in liver tissue in HBsAg-negative, and HCV-negative hepatocellular carcinoma patients.
OBJECTIVE
We studied the clinical features and the etiology of hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative and antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) negative patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.


METHODS
A total of 550 patients, hospitalized with an initial diagnosis of HCC were retrospectively studied. Eighty-one of these patients were HBsAg-positive (HB group), 404 patients were anti-HCV positive (HC group). The other 65 patients were negative for both HBsAg and for anti-HCV (NBNC group). We purified HBV-X gene from HCC or non-tumorous liver tissue of 23 NBNC patients using PCR.


RESULTS
Clinical features of NBNC as compared with HB and HC patients were as follows, respectively: non-cirrhosis rate (%): 57,37,15 (P = 0.02 for HB, P < 0.00001 for HC), the proportion of patients with normal ALT concentrations (%): 59,28,10 (P = 0.0002 for HB, P < 0.00001 for HC). Forty of 59 NBNC patients (68%) had anti-HBs and/or anti-HBc (healthy controls: 29%, P < 0.00001) and two of 56 had serum HBV DNA. Twelve of 23 NBNC patients had HBV-X gene in HCC and/or non-cancerous liver tissues (52%). None of 52 had serum HCV RNA.


CONCLUSIONS
The NBNC patients with HCC had a higher frequency of non-cirrhotic liver without liver injury. The presence of the HBV-X gene in HCC suggests a possible role of past HBV infection in the development of HCC. About half of NBNC HCC is associated with seronegativity for HBsAg and positivity for the HBV-X gene in liver tissue.
Higashi
Yoichiro
Y
Department of Gastroenterology, Saiseikai Kumamoto Hospital, Kumamoto City, 861-4193, Japan. h-yiochi@skh.saiseikai.or.jp
Tada
Shuji
S
Miyase
Shuichi
S
Hirota
Kazuhiko
K
Imamura
Haruo
H
Kamio
Takihiro
T
Suko
Hironobu
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics*; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D015534:Trans-Activators; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; C057628:hepatitis B virus X protein