DETECTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF HEPATITIS C-SPECIFIC ANTIGENS IN NATURALLY INFECTED LIVER

Hepatitis C virus antigen expression was examined using peptide antibo dies in liver tissue taken at biopsy from four chronic carriers of hep atitis C virus. Hepatitis C virus antigens E2/NS1, NS3, NS4 and NS5 we re widespread in unfixed frozen liver sections and were present as dis tinct granules or foci within the cytoplasm of hepatocytes and in infi ltrating lymphocytes in portal tracts. Fixation of frozen sections wit h 1% formalin improved the histological appearance of the tissue secti on without reducing the sensitivity of antigen detection. However, in tissue sections fixed in acetone, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride or methyl carnoys, detection of all hepatocyte-specific hepatitis C virus antigens was significantly reduced. Dual immunostaining of liver sect ions for lymphocyte cluster of differentiation markers and hepatitis C virus antigens determined that a high proportion of cluster of differ entiation 20-positive B cells and cluster of differentiation 4-and clu ster of differentiation 8-positive T cells, predominant in lymphoid ag gregates, were positive for hepatitis C virus antigens.