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Intrahepatic expression of hepatitis B core and surface antigens in chronic hepatitis delta-virus infection
Insights
Chronic hepatitis delta-virus (HDV) infection significantly reduces hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) nuclear expression in the liver. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) membranous expression also decreases in HDV-infected patients.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Virology
- Immunology
Background:
- Chronic hepatitis delta-virus (HDV) infection complicates hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.
- Understanding HBV protein expression during co-infection is crucial for disease management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of chronic HDV infection on intrahepatic HBV protein expression, specifically hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg).
- To compare HBV protein expression in HDV-infected patients with anti-HDV positive and HDV-negative controls.
Main Methods:
- Studied intrahepatic HBcAg and HBsAg expression in 36 HBsAg carriers with anti-HDV and 36 controls (18 HBeAg positive, 18 anti-HBe positive).
- Utilized immunohistochemistry to detect and quantify HBcAg and HBsAg in liver tissue.
- Assessed the distribution (nuclear vs. cytoplasmic) and prevalence of these antigens.
Main Results:
- Nuclear HBcAg prevalence and expression were significantly decreased in HDV-infected patients compared to controls.
- Cytoplasmic HBcAg distribution was more frequent in HDV-infected patients.
- Membranous HBsAg expression was less frequent in HDV-infected patients, while cytoplasmic HBsAg showed no significant difference.
Conclusions:
- Chronic HDV infection interferes with HBV protein expression, notably reducing nuclear HBcAg and membranous HBsAg.
- HDV co-infection alters the intracellular localization and prevalence of HBV antigens within hepatocytes.
Abstract:
To evaluate the interference of hepatitis B virus (HBV) protein expression in the liver in chronic hepatitis delta-virus (HDV) infection, the intrahepatic expression of hepatitis B core and surface antigens (HBcAg and HBsAg) was studied in 36 HBsAg carriers who were seropositive for anti-HDV and in 36 anti-HDV negative controls [18 with serum hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg) and 18 with anti-HBe]. Of 18 HBeAg-positive patients with anti-HDV, 12 had HDV antigen (HDAg) in the liver. HBcAg was positive in 66.7% (8/12) of the HbeAg-positive patients with HDAg in the liver, and in 94.4% (17/18) of controls (p = 0.14). The distribution of HBcAg was exclusively cytoplasmic in 75% (6/8) of HDV-infected patients, but was mixed nuclear and cytoplasmic in 70.6% (12/17) of the controls. The prevalence and quantitative expression of HBcAg in the nucleus, but not in the cytoplasm, were significantly decreased in chronic HDV infection. HBsAg was positive in 91.6% (11/12) of HBeAg-positive patients with HDV infection and in all controls. Membranous expression of HBsAg was detected less frequently in HDV-infected patients than in controls (7/12 vs. 17/18, p = 0.05), while the prevalence and quantitative expression of HBsAg in the cytoplasm showed little or no difference. HDAg was detected in all of the anti-HBe-positive patients with anti-HDV. Of these, none had HBcAg detectable in the liver, nor did controls, while HBsAg was detected exclusively in the cytoplasm in 94.4% (17/18). The prevalence and quantitative expression of HBsAg in the cytoplasm was not different for HDV-infected patients or controls.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)