title: Apoptosis participates to liver damage in HSV-induced fulminant hepatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  HSV fulminant hepatitis is a rare pathology. Rapid hepatic failure, as a consequence of extended liver damage, has generally been attributed to necrosis. As apoptosis can constitute another way for hepatocytes to die, we decided to investigate whether programmed cell death took place during HSV fulminant hepatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Liver sections were obtained from two cases of fulminant herpetic hepatitis as well as from hepatitis B virus and Rickettsia-infected livers. Herpes simplex virus infection was confirmed using in situ hybridization. Apoptosis was assessed by histopathological examination, p53, activated-caspase 3 and Fas immunohistochemistry and TUNEL labeling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We report that the number of cells expressing activated-caspase 3 was largely increased in fulminant herpes simplex virus hepatitis, when compared to livers chronically infected by hepatitis B virus or from a Rickettsial acute hepatitis. Apoptosis of hepatocytes was confirmed by a positive double-staining for activated-caspase 3 and hepatocytes. Finally, the apoptotic process has progressed beyond the step of nuclear DNA cleavage as demonstrated by TUNEL labeling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data as a whole show that apoptosis is responsible, at least partially, for liver damage during HSV fulminant hepatitis.
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Jean Minjoz, Boulevard A. Fleming, 25030 Besançon Cedex, France. jean-luc.pretet@ufc-chu.univ-fcomte.fr
authors.forename: J-L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Prétet
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pelletier
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bernard
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coumes-Marquet
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kantelip
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mougin
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D015415:Biomarkers; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000473:pathology*; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000472:pathogenicity*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers