Hepatitis B Virus Gene in Liver Tissue

liver411

Digestive Diseases and Sciences  48 (10)   p.1920-1924  October 2003

Hepatitis B Virus Gene in Liver Tissue Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Development in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients

Fujioka Shin-Ichi1  Shimomura Hiroyuki2  Iwasaki Yoshiaki2  Fujio Kozo2
Nakagawa Hiroshi2  Onishi Yasuhiro2  Takagi Shinjiro2  Taniguchi Hideaki2
Umeoka Fumi2  Nakajima Hirofumi2  Moriya Akio2  Nanba Katsuyuki2  Piao
Cheng-Yu2  Shinji Toshiyuki2  Koide Norio3    and  Shiratori Yasush2

1.Department of Laboratory Medicine, Okayama University Medical School.
Department of Medicine and Medical Science, Okayama University Graduate
School of Medicine and Dentistry, Okayama, Japan
2.Department of Medicine and Medical Science, Okayama University Graduate
School of Medicine and Dentistry, Okayama, Japan
3.Department of Laboratory Medicine, Okayama University Medical School
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  The hepatitis B virus (HBV) gene has been detected in hepatocellular
carcinoma (HCC) tissue negative for the hepatitis B surface antigen and
positive for the hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody, but the precise role of
the HBV gene in hepatocarcinogenesis has yet to be clarified. We studied the
HBV gene in liver tissue several years before the emergence of HCC. Eleven
patients diagnosed with HCV-positive chronic liver disease and who developed
HCC were assigned to group A. HBV DNA was detected in 8 of the 11 patients
(73%). Twenty-five patients, who did not develop HCC, were selected as group
B. Six of the group B patients were classified as DNA-positive (24%). The
HBV DNA in liver tissue was found to be significantly related to HCC
development (P < 0.01). Thus, the presence of the HBV gene in patients with
chronic HCV associated-liver injury appears to promote hepatocarcinogenesis,
although prospective studies are needed to confirm this result.