Conserved balance of hepatocyte nuclear DNA content in mononuclear and binuclear hepatocyte populations during the course of chronic viral hepatitis.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the percentages of hepatocytes with increased nuclear DNA content, i.e., tetraploid (4n) and octoploid (8n) nuclei, and then compared mononuclear and binuclear hepatocyte populations.


METHODS
The percentages of mononuclear diploid (2n), 4n, and 8n hepatocytes and those of binuclear 2 x 2n, 2 x 4n, and 2 x 8n hepatocytes were determined with a method that can simultaneously measure hepatocyte nuclear DNA content and binuclearity in 62 patients with chronic hepatitis B or C. The percentage of 4n and 8n hepatocytes in the mononuclear hepatocyte population was compared with the percentage of 2 x 4n and 2 x 8n hepatocytes in the binuclear hepatocyte population.


RESULTS
The percentages of 4n and 8n hepatocytes in mononuclear hepatocytes and 2 x 4n and 2 x 8n hepatocytes in binuclear hepatocytes were similar, regardless of the activity or fibrosis grade of chronic hepatitis and regardless of the infecting virus.


CONCLUSIONS
The distribution of nuclear DNA content within mononuclear and binuclear hepatocyte populations was conserved during the course of chronic viral hepatitis.
Toyoda
Hidenori
H
Department of Gastroenterology, Ogaki Municipal Hospital, 4-86 Minaminokawa, Ogaki, Gifu 503-8502, Japan.
Kumada
Takashi
T
Bregerie
Olivier
O
Brechot
Christian
C
Desdouets
Chantal
C
D000328:Adult; D002452:Cell Count; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011123:Polyploidy
D004247:DNA