OBJECTIVETo investigate the necessity of detecting on the expressive intensity and pattern of HBsAg and HBcAg in the livers of chronic hepatitis B.

METHODSHBsAg and HBcAg were detected in paraffin-embedded liver tissue by EnVision immunohistochemistry. Serum hepatitis B virus DNA (HBV DNA) was tested by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The degrees of hepatic inflammatory activity (grade) and fibrosis (stage) of liver biopsies were determined according to the standard of the Chinese program of prevention and treatment of viral hepatitis.

RESULTSThe expression of HBsAg was not correlated with the grade, the stage and the levels of serum HBV DNA (P > 0.05). Liver HBcAg expressive intensity was not correlated with the grade (r=0.02, P > 0.05), while negatively correlated with the stage (r=0.28, P < 0.01) and positively correlated with the serum HBV DNA levels (r=0.53, P < 0.01). Liver HBcAg expressive pattern was negatively correlated with the grade (r=-0.27, P < 0.01). The grade in cytoplasmic pattern group was higher than in nuclear pattern group and in mixed pattern group (P < 0.01), and that in mixed pattern group was higher in nuclear pattern group (P < 0.01). Liver HBcAg expressive pattern was negatively correlated with the stage (r=-0.23, P < 0.01). The stage in cytoplasmic pattern group was higher than in nuclear pattern group and in mixed pattern group (P < 0.05). Liver HBcAg expressive pattern was positively correlated with the levels of serum HBV DNA (r=0.22, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONDistinguishing the expressive intensity and pattern of HBsAg and HBcAg in the liver of chronic hepatitis B may not help understand the degree of hepatic lesion. The detection of HBcAg in liver tissue of CHB may be beneficial for the antiviral therapy.