FREQUENT MICROSATELLITE INSTABILITY IN POST HEPATITIS-B VIRAL CIRRHOSIS

The molecular basis of cirrhosis, the most frequent underlying liver d isease in hepatocellular carcinoma, remains unclear, We investigated m icrosatellite instability at six different loci on chromosomes 2p, 3p, 5q, 9p, 13q and 17p, in DNA from 38 cirrhotic livers of viral (n = 28 ) and nonviral (n = 10) origin. Sixty percent of the patients exhibite d microsatellite alterations in at least one chromosome locus, A strik ing feature was the close association between genomic instability and cirrhosis linked to hepatitis B viral infection (P<0.01), This high in stability may be a clue to the etiology of cancer induced by the hepat itis B virus.