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RNA transcripts of hepatitis B virus in hepatocellular carcinoma
Author(s) -
Imazeki Fumio,
Yaginuma Katsuyuki,
Omata Masao,
Okuda Kunio,
Kobayashi Midori,
Koike Katsuro
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.1840070423
Subject(s) - hbcag , biology , hbsag , microbiology and biotechnology , hepatitis b virus , rna , virology , dna , hepatocellular carcinoma , gene , virus , southern blot , cancer research , genetics
The states of hepatitis B virus DNA, RNA transcripts and antigens (HBsAg and HBcAg) were studied in the liver with hepatocellular carcinoma by blot hybridization and immunohistological methods. We used whole hepatitis B virus DNA and gene specific probes (S, C and X genes) for hybridization. Integrated viral DNA was found in all five tumors, but episomal DNA was not detected in the neoplastic tissue. In the nonneoplastic cirrhotic liver, episomal DNA was found in four cases and integrated viral DNA in four cases. A large amount of hepatitis B virus‐specific RNA transcripts was demonstrated in nonneoplastic liver of all five cases. Two major transcripts, 2.4 and 3.4 kb in length, were identified. The former hybridized with the S gene probe and the latter with the C gene probe, suggesting that they were messenger RNAs for HBsAg and HBcAg, respectively. In contrast to nonneoplastic liver, RNA transcripts were found in the neoplastic portion in only two cases, small in quantity; they primarily hybridized with S and X, but not with C genes. Novel species of 4.0 and 3.9 kb transcripts were found in the neoplastic and the nonneoplastic portions, respectively, in one case. They may represent fusion transcripts of integrated viral DNA and cellular flanking sequences.