HEPATIC EXPRESSION OF INTERFERON-ALPHA IN CHRONIC HEPATITIS-B VIRUS-INFECTION

Hepatic expression of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) was examined by imm unohistochemistry in 90 Chinese patients (MIF 67:23, age: 14-69) with a spectrum of hepatitis B virus (HBV)related chronic liver diseases. I mmunoreactive IFN-alpha was detected in sinusoidal cells in 79 patient s (88%) and in mononuclear cells in 59 patients (65.6%). Patients with active liver diseases (chronic active hepatitis, active cirrhosis, N = 55) had a higher level of IFN-alpha expression compared to patients with inactive histology (N 35; sinusoidal cells, P < 0.01; mononuclear cells, P < 0.01). Cytoplasmic HBsAg, nuclear HBcAg, and cytoplasmic H BcAg were detected in 79 (88%), 42 (47%), and 23 (27%) patients respec tively. Expression of IFN-alpha in mononuclear cells correlated with t he expression of cytoplasmic HBcAg (P < 0.05) but not with nuclear HBc Ag or cytoplasmic HBsAg. When the patients were divided into four diff erent phases according to the natural history of chronic HBV infection , patients in the active liver disease phase had higher IFN-alpha expr ession compared to the immunotolerant and late phase patients (P < 0.0 1). Using double immunohistochemical staining, both IFN-alpha and cyto plasmic HBcAg were frequently detected near inflammatory infiltrates b ut no correlation existed between the hepatic expression of HBsAg and IFN-alpha. These data indicate that IFN-alpha is expressed in the live r in HBV-related active liver diseases and that the reported suboptima l production of IFN-alpha by PBMC in HBV-related chronic active liver diseases may be due to a redistribution of the IFN-alpha-producing mon onuclear cells into the liver, the site of inflammation.