만성 B형 간염 환자의 간조직내 B형 간염바이러스 유전자와 유전자 발현양상과의 상관관계

To understand the pathogenesis of hepatitis B virus(HBV)-induced chronic liver disease, we studied the relationship between HBV DNA and antigens and subsequent correlation with pathologic findings in liver tissue. Routine paraffin-embedded liver specimens from 52 patients with HBV related chronic liver diseases(HBV carrier 8, chronic persistent hepatitis 15, chronic active hepatitis 15, and liver cirrhosis 14) were evaluated by using in situ hybridization(ISH) and immunohistochemistry(IHC). Using the IHC techniques, we detected intrahepatic HBcAg in all of 37 HBeAg positive pa- tients and four of 15 HBeAg negative patients. However, regardless of the presence of HBeAg, HBsAg was detected in most of the patients. Using the ISH techniques, HBV DNA was dectected in 23 of 37 HBeAg postive patients and 4 of 15 HBeAg patients. Intrahepatic distri- bution of HBcAg correlated well with the distribution of HBV DN A whereas HBsAg did not correlate well. According to the progression of the liver disease, the distributional pattern of intrahepatic HBV DN A and antigens was different. In addition, the simultaneous in situ de- tection analyses revealed that some hepatocytes containing high levels of HBV DN A were de- void of detectable HBcAg suggesting a mechanism by which restricted expression of HBV an- tigens on infected hepatocytes may escape host immune surveillance system resulting persis- tent HBV infection. (Korean J Gastroenterol 1994; 26: 289 297)