%0 Journal Article
%T Tissue Expression of the Hepatitis C Virus NS3 Protein Does Not Correlate with Histological or Clinical Features in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C
%A Wei-Hsuan Liao
%A Shui-Yi Tung
%A Cheng-Han Shen
%A Kam-Fai Lee
%J Chang Gung Medical Journal
%D 2011
%I 
%X Background: In chronic hepatitis B, the HBcAg viral protein in liver tissue demonstrates apositive correlation with serum aminotransferase levels, serum hepatitis Bviral DNA, and histological activities. Little is known if similar relationshipsexist for chronic hepatitis C. This study attempted to determine if expressionof the hepatocyte NS3 protein of the hepatitis C virus (HCV-NS3) was correlated with the serum HCV-RNA load, hepatitis activity, or other clinicalparameters.Methods: Clinical and histological data of 214 patients with chronic hepatitis C wereretrospectively reviewed. A mouse monoclonal antibody was used to detectHCV-NS3 in hepatocytes. The staining intensity was scored semiquantitatively as 0~3+, and its correlations with the serum HCV-RNA load, hepatitisactivity, and other clinical parameters were analyzed.Results: In total, 202 (94%) of the 214 liver biopsies were positive for HCV-NS3, andthe intensity of HCV-NS3 staining was 0 in 12 (6%), 1+ in 181 (84%), and2+ in 21 patients (10%). The intensity of HCV-NS3 expression in the samples did not correlate with patient age (p = 0.302, ANOVA), patient gender(p = 0.130, FisherĄ¯s exact test), the alanine transaminase level (p = 0.177,ANOVA), serum HCV-RNA level (p = 0.305, ANOVA), HCV antibody titer(p = 0.139, Chi-squared test), hepatitis activity index score (p = 0.861, Chisquared test), or sustained viral response rate (p = 0.861, Chi-squared test).Conclusions: This HCV-NS3 immunohistochemical staining method was reliable fordetecting HCV in liver specimens. Hepatocyte expression of HCV-NS3 wasnot correlated with the serum viral load, severity of hepatic injury, or treatment response
%K HCV-NS3 antigen
%K immunohistochemistry
%K HAI score
%U http://memo.cgu.edu.tw/cgmj/3403/340304.pdf