Biomaterial Database

Hepatic expression of tumour necrosis factor-alpha in chronic hepatitis B virus infection. 1994

M J Hussain, and J Y Lau, and R Williams, and D Vergani

Department of Immunology, King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry, London.

OBJECTIVE To determine the hepatic expression of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. METHODS Frozen liver biopsy sections from 19 patients with chronic HBV infection were studied, 12 of whom were HBeAg positive and 10 serum HBV DNA positive. Hepatic expression of TNF alpha was determined using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Only infiltrating mononuclear cells showed immunoreactive staining for TNF alpha (median 2, range 0-3; n = 19) which appeared as diffuse positive staining material in the cytoplasm. Patients with active liver disease, assessed histologically and biochemically, had a higher level of expression, both in the number of TNF alpha positive cells and the proportion of TNF alpha positive infiltrating mononuclear cells. There was no correlation between the expression of TNF alpha and serological parameters of viral infection (HBeAg and HBV DNA status and HBV DNA concentrations). CONCLUSIONS Hepatic expression of TNF alpha is increased in chronic HBV infection and is related to the activity of liver disease and not to the level of HBV replication.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007150	Immunohistochemistry	Histochemical localization of immunoreactive substances using labeled antibodies as reagents.	Immunocytochemistry,Immunogold Techniques,Immunogold-Silver Techniques,Immunohistocytochemistry,Immunolabeling Techniques,Immunogold Technics,Immunogold-Silver Technics,Immunolabeling Technics,Immunogold Silver Technics,Immunogold Silver Techniques,Immunogold Technic,Immunogold Technique,Immunogold-Silver Technic,Immunogold-Silver Technique,Immunolabeling Technic,Immunolabeling Technique,Technic, Immunogold,Technic, Immunogold-Silver,Technic, Immunolabeling,Technics, Immunogold,Technics, Immunogold-Silver,Technics, Immunolabeling,Technique, Immunogold,Technique, Immunogold-Silver,Technique, Immunolabeling,Techniques, Immunogold,Techniques, Immunogold-Silver,Techniques, Immunolabeling
D008099	Liver	A large lobed glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates that is responsible for detoxification, metabolism, synthesis and storage of various substances.	Livers
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D002908	Chronic Disease	Diseases which have one or more of the following characteristics: they are permanent, leave residual disability, are caused by nonreversible pathological alteration, require special training of the patient for rehabilitation, or may be expected to require a long period of supervision, observation, or care (Dictionary of Health Services Management, 2d ed). For epidemiological studies chronic disease often includes HEART DISEASES; STROKE; CANCER; and diabetes (DIABETES MELLITUS, TYPE 2).	Chronic Condition,Chronic Illness,Chronically Ill,Chronic Conditions,Chronic Diseases,Chronic Illnesses,Condition, Chronic,Disease, Chronic,Illness, Chronic
D004279	DNA, Viral	Deoxyribonucleic acid that makes up the genetic material of viruses.	Viral DNA
D005260	Female		Females
D006509	Hepatitis B	INFLAMMATION of the LIVER in humans caused by a member of the ORTHOHEPADNAVIRUS genus, HEPATITIS B VIRUS. It is primarily transmitted by parenteral exposure, such as transfusion of contaminated blood or blood products, but can also be transmitted via sexual or intimate personal contact.	Hepatitis B Virus Infection
D006513	Hepatitis B e Antigens	A closely related group of antigens found in the plasma only during the infective phase of hepatitis B or in virulent chronic hepatitis B, probably indicating active virus replication; there are three subtypes which may exist in a complex with immunoglobulins G.	HBeAg,Hepatitis B e Antigen,Hepatitis Be Antigen,e Antigen,e Antigens,HBe Ag-1,HBe Ag-2,Hepatitis Be Antigens,Antigen, Hepatitis Be,Antigen, e,Antigens, Hepatitis Be,Antigens, e,Be Antigen, Hepatitis,Be Antigens, Hepatitis
D006515	Hepatitis B virus	The type species of the genus ORTHOHEPADNAVIRUS which causes human HEPATITIS B and is also apparently a causal agent in human HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA. The Dane particle is an intact hepatitis virion, named after its discoverer. Non-infectious spherical and tubular particles are also seen in the serum.	Dane Particle,Hepatitis Virus, Homologous Serum,B virus, Hepatitis,Hepatitis B viruses,Particle, Dane,viruses, Hepatitis B