Study On The Relationship Between The Hepatitis B Virus X Gene And Hepatocelluar Carcinoma

Objective: To explore the relationships between the hepatitis B virus infection and the progression of choronic hepatitis B(CH),hepatocirrhosis (HC), hepatocelluar carcinoma (HCC).Methods: Total 110 patients who were infected by hepatitis B virus,including 53 cases with choronic HBV infection,36 cases with hepatocirrhosis and 21 cases hepatocelluar carcinoma,were divided into three groups. The integrations and replications of hepatitis B virus(HBV) X gene in liver cell genome and peripheral blood monocyte (PBMC) were determinded by PCR ,and its expressions in liver cells were performed by immunohistochemistry technique.Results: The positive rates of integration of hepatitis B virus(HBV) X gene were 32 % in choronic hepatitis B,63.9% in hepatocirrhosis and 90.6% in hepatocelluar carcinoma.Compared with the results of CH group or HC group ,the positive rate was significant difference (P<0.01).While the positive rates of integration HBV X gene in PBMC were 20.8% in CH group ,58.3% in HC and 80.9%,respectively.There were also significant difference in groups( P<0.05 ), compared with each other.The positive rate of HBV replication in PBMC in CH group was the highest in three ones,up to 84.9%.The positive rates of hepatitis B virus antigen (HBxAg),HBV X gene expression products in liver cells, were 52.9% in CH group,75% in HC group and 85.7% in HCC group,respectively.The positive rate in HCC group was higher than those in other groups (p<0,05).Conclusion : The results suggest that the integration of HBV X gene in liver cell genome and HBxAg expression in liver cell play an important role in the development of HCC and that HBV replications in liver cell and PBMC may be low level with the developement of chronic HBV infection.