title: Relation of hepatitis B core antigen expression with histological activity, serum HBeAg, and HBV DNA levels.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a potentially life-threatening liver infection which may progress to liver failure and cirrhosis. Intrahepatic expression patterns of viral antigens detected by immunohistochemistry may have prognostic implications in disease process.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between the HBV core antigen (HBcAg) expression and histological activity index (HAI), fibrosis, serum hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg) status and HBV DNA levels in patients with chronic HBV infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 114 liver biopsies from patients with chronic HBV infection were included in the study. Immunohistochemical expression of HBcAg and its relation with HAI, fibrosis, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, HBeAg status and HBV DNA levels were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The presence of nuclear expression of HBcAg did not show any correlations with ALT levels, HAI and fibrosis score. When the groups were categorized according to the HBeAg status, nuclear HBcAg expression was found to be high in HBeAg positive patients. However, HBcAg nuclear expression showed significant correlations with HBV DNA levels and fibrosis scores in HBeAg negative but not HBeAg positive patients. HBV DNA levels were also significantly associated with HAI and fibrosis scores in HBeAg negative patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant differences found between HBeAg positive and negative patients suggest that HBeAg negative disease is different from HBeAg positive disease, and also point outs that in HBeAg negative disease, patients with nuclear HBcAg expression and increased levels of HBV DNA levels are at a higher risk of developing progressive liver disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Izmir Ataturk Researh and Training Hospital, Izmir, Turkey. aysegulakder@gmail.com
authors.forename: Aysegul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sari
authors.forename: Yelda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dere
authors.forename: Betul
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pakoz
authors.forename: Aylin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calli
authors.forename: Belkis
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Unal
authors.forename: Mine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tunakan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D000410:Alanine Transaminase