Immunocytochemical investigation of hepatitis B virus-associated antigens in HBsAG-positive patients with liver cirrhosis

Immunoperoxidase techniques were used to investigate the localization patterns and distribution of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated antigens in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive patients with liver cirrhosis. The membranous type of HBsAg was rarely seen in liver cirrhosis unless there was concomitant evidence of chronic active hepatitis. HBsAg was stained mainly throughout the hepatic cytoplasm or its periphery in liver cirrhosis regardless of the presence of the hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) or hepatitis B e antibody (HBeAb) in the serum. In all cases of liver cirrhosis with hepatocellular carcinoma, the inclusion body type of HBsAg was detected in hepatocytes. Simultaneous staining of HBsAg and hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) in biopsy tissues of liver cirrhosis revealed that the HBcAg was mainly stained in the nuclei of hepatocytes, and that almost all of the HBcAg-positive hepatocytes contained either cytoplasmic or festoon-like immunoreaction patterns of HBsAg. HBcAg-positive hepatocytes were distributed spottedly, diffusely or in groups in pseudolobules, and clusters of HBcAg-positive hepatocytes were detected in the non-tumor areas adjacent to hepatomas, where liver cell dysplasia was also observed.