HISTOLOGIC STAINING METHODS FOR HEPATITIS B SURFACE ANTIGEN (HBS AG) AND INTERPRETATION OF DYE REACTIONS IN VITRO

Abstract

Comparison of five HBs Ag staining methods were carried out in 303 autopsy cases and 398 biopsy cases of various liver diseases, including acute hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis, chronic inactive hepatitis, hepatocellular carcinoma without cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma with cirrhosis, and cirrhosis. The author tried various HBs Ag staining dyes which react with some functional groups and found that all HBs Ag staining dyes react with hydrogen sulfide, disulfide and sulfonic acid residue groups which are formed by the oxidization of disulfide and hydrogen sulfide groups of proteins. Three mechanisms of nonspecific reaction in HBs Ag staining methods were considered.