In situ analysis of intrahepatic virological events in chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

ABSTRACT: Persistent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is established by the formation of an intranuclear pool of covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in the liver. Very little is known about the intrahepatic distribution of HBV cccDNA in infected patients, particularly at the single-cell level. Here, we established a highly sensitive and specific ISH assay for the detection of HBV RNA, DNA, and cccDNA. The specificity of our cccDNA probe set was confirmed by its strict intranuclear signal and by a series of Southern blot analyses. Use of our in situ assay in conjunction with IHC or immunofluorescence uncovered a surprisingly mosaic distribution of viral antigens and nucleic acids. Most strikingly, a mutually exclusive pattern was found between HBV surface antigen-positive (HBsA-positive) and HBV

SUBMITTER: Zhang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4767362 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature