Nv. Naoumov et al., IDENTIFICATION OF HEPATITIS-B VIRUS-DNA IN THE LIVER BY IN-SITU HYBRIDIZATION USING A BIOTINYLATED PROBE - RELATION TO HBCAG EXPRESSION ANDHISTOLOGY, Journal of hepatology, 19(2), 1993, pp. 204-210
The cellular localisation of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA in liver tiss
ue was studied by in situ hybridisation using biotinylated and radiola
belled probes on samples from HBsAg carriers with a spectrum of diseas
e and related to the presence of HBV-DNA in serum and intrahepatic HBc
Ag expression. Sixteen of the 31 patients studied were seropositive fo
r HBV-DNA; nine had chronic active hepatitis and seven had chronic per
sistent hepatitis. HBV-DNA was detected in the liver tissue in seven o
f these patients. In each, HBV-DNA was detected in both cytoplasm and
nuclei. All seven also had nuclear and/or cytoplasmic HBcAg which in s
ix was associated with chronic active hepatitis. HBcAg (without tissue
HBV-DNA) was detected in the remaining nine patients with an exclusiv
ely nuclear pattern in two. Fifteen patients were seronegative for HBV
-DNA. HBV-DNA was not detected in the tissue of any of these. Three of
these were HBcAg positive but in each this was confined to occasional
nuclei and each had inactive disease. The close association between t
he presence of detectable HBV-DNA in tissue, cytoplasmic HBV-DNA expre
ssion and chronic active hepatitis in one group and a failure to detec
t HBV-DNA in those with nuclear HBcAg and benign disease suggests that
there may be two distinct patterns of HBV replication in chronic HBV
carriers which may influence the development of liver damage.