Objective: To study the distribution and significance of hepatitis C virus core antigen in liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma tissues.
Methods: Hepatitis C virus antigen and HBx-Ag were detected in liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues with immunohistochemical methods.
Results: In some cases, not only was HCV core antigen positive stain distributed in the liver cells and nuclei of the cancer cell but it was also found in the cytoplasm. In different cases, it may be predominantly cytoplasm positive or nuclear positive or both. In liver cancer tissues, the HCV core antigen cytoplasmic positive cells were focally distributed and whereas the nuclear positive cells were diffusely distributed. The HCV core antigen nuclei positive cells were often observed in HCC tissues, but the cytoplasmic positive cells were often observed in the pericancerous liver tissue. The detection rates of HCV core antigen in LC, HCC and pericancerous liver tissues were 67.3% (66/98), 75.0% (78/104) and 48.1% (25/52), respectively. Statistical analysis suggested that: HCV core antigen nuclei positive rate in HCC be much higher than that in LC and pericancerous liver tissues (P < 0.01) and HCV core antigen nuclei positive rate be much higher than the cytoplasm positive rate in HCC tissues (P < 0.01).
Conclusion: HCV, of which the infection being very common in LC and HCC of our country, may play an important role in the development of LC and HCC except HBV infection.