Hepatitis B core antigen in liver tissue from HBs-positive, HBe-negative patients.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to study the relationship between HBcAg in liver tissue, histological and biochemical activity and serum HBV-DNA levels among HBeAg-negative patients.


METHODS
49 biopsy specimens taken from 16 females and 29 males were studied. Immunostaining for HBcAg was performed with commercially available kits (Dako). Serum HBV-DNA was detected by the hybridization method, in case of negative hybridization, repeated by PCR.


RESULTS
HBcAg was found in 16 biopsy specimens (32.6%) (group I)--in 10 cases in hepatocytes nuclei and cytoplasm, in 5 in the nuclei and in one case in cytoplasm only. 15 out of 16 patients were serum HBV-DNA positive. Seven patients showed chronic liver disease of moderate or severe activity with HBcAg expression both in the nuclei and cytoplasm. Group II consisted of 33 patients who were HBcAg-negative. In 7 patients HBV-DNA was not found by hybridization or by PCR. In eleven patients ALT and AST activity exceeded 1.5x the ULN. ALT and AST differed significantly between group II and I.


CONCLUSIONS
In our opinion immunohistochemical examination is an essential part of classification to antiviral treatment. HBcAg immunostaining should be performed in every HBeAg-negative patient to exclude reasons for aminotransferase elevation other than HBV infection.
Karpinska
Ewa
E
Department of Infectious Diseases, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland. ewakapinska@interia.pl
Wawrzynowicz-Syczewska
Marta
M
Chosia
Maria
M
Jurczyk
Krzysztof
K
Urbanowicz
Waldemar
W
Boron-Kaczmarska
Anna
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens