Hepatitis b virus antigens in human primary hepatocellular carcinoma tissues

Abstract

The presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) antigens was examined in specimens of liver tissue obtained at necropsy from black Senegalese patients suffering from primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC). The results were correlated with markers of hepatitis B infection in serum. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and core antigen (HBcAg) were sought for in 15 liver extracts. HBsAg was found in the liver in 10 of 12 cases with HBsAg-positive serum. HBcAg was detected in three livers. The HBsAg was detected in seven of eight livers by immunofluorescence and orcein staining. HBsAg-positive cells were mainly located in the peri-tumoral cirrhotic tissue, although positive hepatocytes were also found in tumour nodules in liver from one of the patients. HBcAg was found in five of seven cases by immunofluorescence in hepatocytes of the cirrhotic areas. HBcAg fluorescence was primarily nuclear but, in some lobules, a patchy cytoplasmic fluorescence was observed. This suggests a cytoplasm-nucleus pathway in the synthesis of the HBV core antigen. Electron microscopy was performed on two HBsAg- and HBcAg-positive cases. Fibrillar and crystalline cytoplasmic inclusions were observed in tumour cells. In the same cells, 20-25 nm virus-like particles were present in swollen cisternae of the endoplasmic reticulum.

Hepatitis B virus antigens in liver tissue in hepatocellular carcinoma and advanced chronic liver disease, relationship to liver cell dysplasia

“…It has been reported that HBV markers are rarely found in neoplastic tissue (13,14,15). In our study, HBV markers were found in neoplastic cells in only one case.…”

Establishment of a cell line (HCC‐M) from a human hepatocellular carcinoma

“…However, many reports show that HBsAg was detected almost always in non-cancerous hepatocytes, but not in cancerous hepatocytes when the localization of HBsAg in liver tissue was studied (Popper, 1975;Nazarewicz et al, 1977;Nayak et al, 1977;Omata et al, 1979, Goudeau et al, 1979. These reports and our results indicate the possibility that HBsAg would disappear from cancerous tissue and replication of HB virus would cease in cancerous hepatocytes.…”

Detection of Hepatitis B Virus-specific DNA in the Genomes of Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Liver Cirrhosis Tissues

“…Epidemiological studies have shown a distinct correlation between the incidence and frequency of HCC and the prevalence of HBV; moreover, a significantly higher proportion of these HCC cases contain one or more viral antigenic markers or the corresponding antibodies in their serum, than do normal matched controls (Maupas et al:, 1980;Goudeau et al, 1979). It is therefore reasonable to suspect that HBV either by itself or, more likely, in concert with other factors might be involved in malignant transformation of the hepatocyte.…”