Composition of inflammatory infiltrate and its correlation with HBV/HCV antigen expression

AIM: To study the composition of liver inflammatory infiltrate in biopsy material from patients chronically infected with hepatotropic viruses and to evaluate the correlation of inflammatory infiltrate with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) viral antigen expression in chronic B and C hepatitis.METHODS: The phenotype of inflammatory cells was evaluated by the EnVision system, using a panel of monoclonal antibodies. HBV and HCV antigens were detected with the use of monoclonal anti-HBs, poly-clonal anti-HBc and anti-HCV antibodies, respectively.RESULTS: The cellular composition of liver inflammatory infiltrate was similar in the patients with B and C hepatitis: ~50%-60% of cells were T helper lymphooltes. Approximately 25% were T cytotoxic lymphocytes; B lymphocytes comprised 15% of inflammatory infiltrate; other cells, including NK, totalled 10%. Expression of HLA antigens paralleled inflammatory activity. Portal lymphadenoplasia was found more often in hepatitis C (54.5%) than in hepatitis B (30.6%). Expression of HB-cAg was found more often in chronic B hepatitis of moderate or severe activity. Overall inflammatory activity in HBV-infected cases did not correlate with the intensity of HBsAg expression in hepatooltes. Inflammatory infiltrates accompanied the focal expression of HCV anti-gens. A direct correlation between antigen expression and inflammatory reaction in situ was noted more often in hepatitis C than B.CONCLUSION: Irrespective of the etiology and activity of hepatitis, components of the inflammatory infiltrate in liver were similar. Overall inflammatory activity did not correlate with the expression of HBsAg and HCVAg; HBcAg expression, however, accompanied chronic hepatitis B of moderate and severe activity.