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Updated: Sep 21, 2026

"Liver-on-a-Chip" Cultures of Primary Hepatocytes and Kupffer Cells for Hepatitis B Virus Infection
10:25

"Liver-on-a-Chip" Cultures of Primary Hepatocytes and Kupffer Cells for Hepatitis B Virus Infection

Published on: February 19, 2019

Case-control study of hepatitis B virus infection in chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma

R de Franchis, M Primignani, M Vecchi

    La Ricerca in Clinica E in Laboratorio
    |January 1, 1984
    PubMed

    Insights

    Hepatitis B virus (HBV) exposure is high in both liver cirrhosis with hepatocellular carcinoma (c-HCC) and chronic liver disease (CLD). Continuous viral replication is more frequent in c-HCC, suggesting impaired HBV clearance in these patients.

    Area of Science:

    • Hepatology
    • Virology
    • Oncology

    Background:

    • Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major global health concern, strongly linked to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
    • Understanding HBV marker prevalence is crucial for assessing viral activity and disease progression.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To compare the prevalence of serum HBV markers in patients with liver cirrhosis and HCC (c-HCC), chronic liver disease (CLD), and healthy controls.
    • To investigate serological evidence of continuous viral replication in these groups.

    Main Methods:

    • Serum samples from 31 c-HCC patients, 31 CLD patients, and 62 controls were analyzed for HBV markers.
    • Age and sex matching were employed between the groups.
    • Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody, and hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) were assessed.

    Main Results:

    • Overall HBV exposure rates were 90% in c-HCC, 80% in CLD, and 58% in controls.
    • HBsAg prevalence was 29% in c-HCC, 13% in CLD, and 1.6% in controls.
    • Continuous viral replication markers were significantly higher in c-HCC (39%) compared to CLD (12%) and controls (1.6%).

    Conclusions:

    • HBV exposure rates are similar in c-HCC and CLD patients.
    • Continuous viral replication is more prevalent in c-HCC, indicating a potential defect in HBV clearance.
    • The association between HBV infection and HCC is strong in both cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic HCC.

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