Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection: The Relation between Hepatitis B Antigen Expression, Telomere Length, Senescence, Inflammation and Fibrosis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Chronic Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection can lead to the development of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. We hypothesized that HBV might accelerate hepatocyte ageing and investigated the effect of HBV on hepatocyte cell cycle state and biological age. We also investigated the relation between inflammation, fibrosis and cell cycle phase.

Methods

Liver samples from patients with chronic HBV (n = 91), normal liver (n = 55) and regenerating liver (n = 15) were studied. Immunohistochemistry for cell cycle phase markers and HBV antigens was used to determine host cell cycle phase. Hepatocyte-specific telomere length was evaluated by quantitative fluorescent in-situ hybridization (Q-FISH) in conjunction with hepatocyte nuclear area and HBV antig

SUBMITTER: Tachtatzis PM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4449162 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature