만성 B형 간염환자의 간조직내 B형 간염바이러스 유전자와 유전자 발현양상과의 상관관계

Abstract

To understand the pathogenesis of hepatitis B virus(HBV)-induced chronic liver disease, we studied the relationship between HBV DNA and antigens and subsequent dorrelation with pathologic findings in liver tissue. Routine paraffin-embedded liver specimens from 52 patients with HBV related chronic liver diseases(HBV carrier 8, chronic persistent hepatitis 15, chronic active hepatitis 15, and liever cirrhosis 14) were evaluated by using in situ hybridization(ISH) and immunohistochemistry(IHC). Using the IHC techniques, we detected intrahepatic HBcAg in all of 37 HBeAg positive patients and four of 15 HBeAg negative patients. However, regardless of the presence of HBeAg, HBsAg was detected in most of the patients. Using the ISH techniques. HBV DNA was dectedted in 23 tf 37 HBeAg postive patients and 4 of 15 HBeAg patients. Intrahepatic distribution of HBcAg correlated well with the distribution of HBV DNA whereas HBsAg did not correlate well. According to the progression of the liver disease, the distributional pattern of intrahepatic HBV DNA and antigens was different. In addition, the simultaneous in situ detection analyses revealed that some hepatocytes containing high levels of HBV DNA were devoid of detectable HBcAG suggesting a mechanism by which restricted expression of HBV antigens on infected hepatocytes may escape host immune surveillance system resulting persistent HBV infection.