[Detection of hepatitis C virus from hepatocellular carcinoma and its relationship to hepatocarcinogenesis]

To get an insight of the relationship between hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

A molecular pathology research was performed. Liver specimens from 19 HCC cases with HCV infection only were detected for HCV antigen (HCAg) and HCV RNA with monoclonal antibody (McAb) against HCV NS3 antigen by means of immuno-histochemistry staining and in situ hybridization using Dig-labeled full-length HCV cDNA Probe.

In 17 of 19 (89.5%) cases, positive expression of the antigen was observed; 11 of 19 (57.9%) cases were positive for HCV RNA. The viral antigen was expressed in cytoplasm and nucleus of para-cancerous hepatocytes and in cancer cells too, while the distribution of HCV RNA was only seen in cytoplasm of hepatocyte.

These results strongly support the relationship between HCV infection and the occurrence of HCC. The nucleic distribution of HCAg suggests a possible interaction between HCAg and the host genome, which may lead to hepatocarcinogenosis.