title: Alteration of the Total Nuclear DNA Ploidy in Different Histopathological Liver Tissues Negative and Positive for HCV RNA.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The molecular mechanisms of HCV-associated carcinogenesis are unknown. We aim to investigate the alteration of the total nuclear DNA content (ploidy) in different histopathological liver tissues infected with HCV and their relation to the seropositivity of HCV RNA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood and liver tissues were collected from 26 patients. Diagnosis was carried out according to clinical and pathological examinations by specialized physicians. HCV RNA was detected in patients' sera and tissue samples by RT-PCR. To examine nuclear DNA ploidy, liver tissues were stained with blue Fulgen using the image analysis techniques. Finally, the patients' DNA content was examined by histochemical analysis depending on the optical density of DNA from liver biopsies using the grey image menu in each specimen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The HCV RT-PCR results demonstrated that 13/26 (50%) patients had detectable HCV RNA in their sera samples while 18/26 (69%) had detectable HCV RNA in liver tissues. The DNA content from those patients measured by image cytometry showed a high level of alteration of nuclear DNA ploidy and proliferation in liver tissues with HCC, less alteration of nuclear DNA ploidy in cirrhotic patients, and least proliferation nearly normal in liver fibrosis patients. Moreover, the results of histochemical analysis confirmed the DNA image cytometry results and showed that positive HCV RNA liver tissues had more DNA ploidy than negative HCV RNA liver tissues with statistical significance (p-value < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HCV positive liver tissue had alterations in DNA content (ploidy) which may lead to liver disease progression, malignant transformation of the liver cells and development of hepatocellular carcinoma.
authors.forename: Ashraf A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Tabll
authors.forename: Sara S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kishta
authors.forename: Abdel Razik H
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Farrag
authors.forename: Noha G Bader
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: El Din
authors.forename: Mervat S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: Yasmine S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: El Abd
authors.forename: Basem H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: El Esawy
authors.forename: Sobhy A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kishta
authors.forename: Reham M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Dawood
authors.forename: Allaa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ismail
authors.forename: Mostafa K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: El Awady
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology; D002455:Cell Division; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000821:virology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011003:Ploidies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D004247:DNA