Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been considered to be replicated solely in human or primate liver cells, thus, an organotropic virus. However, recent studies indicated the possibility of extrahepatic replication of HBV including in the pancreas. The purpose of the present study is to see if HBs Ag and HBc Ag and HBc Ag are detected in the pancreas by immunohistochemical study. Forty four patients with HBs antigenemia were studies by indirect are direct peroxidase methods, using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded section of pancreatic tissue, to detect HBs Ag and HBc Ag. Shikata's orcein technique was also used for HBs Ag detection. Specificity was checked by absorption test for indirect method, and blocking test for direct method. HBs Ag was positively stained in 24 patients out of 44 patients, the localization of HBs Ag was proved in pancreatic acinar cells, particularly centrilobular acinar cell, intralobular and interlobular ductal cells. HBc Ag was detected only in pancreatic acinar cells in the 7 cases which also had HBs Ag in the pancreas. HBV antigens were not found within islets of langerhans. Control studies using 25 patients were all negative. This study proved the localization of HBs Ag and HBc Ag in pancreatic acinar cells are ductal cells, and probable HBV replication in the pancreas.
