Associations of Expressions of HBcAg and HBsAg with the Histologic Activity of Liver Disease and Viral Replication.
OBJECTIVE
Subcellular localization of hepatitis B virus (HBV) core antigen (HBcAg) and HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) is known to be related to the activity of liver disease and the level of HBV replication. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between histologic activity, viral replication, and the intracellular distributions of HBcAg and HBsAg.


METHODS
We enrolled 670 patients with chronic hepatitis B who underwent liver biopsy at Bundang CHA hospital between 1997 to 2007. The data from medical records were reviewed retrospectively.


RESULTS
The stage of fibrosis was higher (3.31+/-1.34 vs. 2.43+/-1.39, mean+/-SD, p<0.01) and the grade of necroinflammatory activity was higher (9.39+/-3.11 vs. 6.13+/-3.40, p<0.001) for the cytoplasmic expression of HBcAg (cHBcAg) than for the nuclear expression of HBcAg (nHBcAg). The serum HBV DNA level was 677.30+/-983.14 pg/mL in cHBcAg, 1274.46+/-1417.28 pg/mL in nHBcAg, 1121.01+/-1121.0 pg/mL in c-nHBcAg, and 229.47+/-678.92 pg/mL in negative (p<0.001). HBeAg was seropositive in 74.7% of patients with cHBcAg, 90.6% in those with nHBcAg, 90.3% in those with n-cHBcAg, and 55.6% in those with negative (p<0.001). The histologic stage and grade of hepatitis were not significantly correlated with the subcellular localization of intrahepatic HBsAg (p>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
These observations suggest that the histologic activity of hepatitis is higher and viral replication is lower in cHBcAg positive patients than in those with nHBcAg.
Son
Myung Su
MS
Department of Internal Medicine, Bundang CHA Medical Center, College of Medicine, Pochon CHA University, Seongnam, Korea.
Yoo
Jeong Hwan
JH
Kwon
Chang-Il
CI
Ko
Kwang Hyun
KH
Hong
Sung Pyo
SP
Hwang
Seong Gyu
SG
Park
Pil Won
PW
Park
Choong Kee
CK
Rim
Kyu Sung
KS