Expression and clinical significance of HBsAg and HBcAg in hepatocytes in the patients with chronic hepatitis B

Objective To study the expression of HBsAg and HBcAg in hepatocytes in patients with chronic hepatitis B,and to analyze the correlation among the expression of HBsAg and HBcAg,the quantity of HBV DNA in serum and in the liver tissue,the pathology of liver tissue and the clinical manifestation.Methods The polymerase chain reaction was used to exam the quantity of HBV DNA in serum and the fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction for detection of HBV DNA in liver tissues.And the expression of HBsAg and HBcAg was assayed by using immunohistochemical staining.At that time the pathological diagnosis was performed by using liver tissues.Results There were not obvious correlation between HBsAg and serum of HBV DNA level and the grading and staging of liver tissues in 83 patients with chronic hepatitis B.The expression of HBcAg was correlated with the quantity of HBV DNA in serum(r=0.291,P=0.008).There were obviously correlation between the expression HBcAg and HBV DNA of liver tissues(r=0.664,P0.0001).The expression of HBcAg was correlated with the liver inflammation and fibrosis grades(r=0.611,0.841,P0.001).Conclusion HBcAg might be a main antigen in the immunopathogenesis of liver damage in CHB.It is more reliable to take the expressive degree of HBc