IMMUNOHISTOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE LOCALIZATION OF HEPATITIS B VIRUS ASSOCIATED ANTIGENS IN HUMAN PANCREATIC TISSUE

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. Along the line of the proposed possibility, the present study is intended to detect HBs Ag and HBc Ag in the pancreas by immunohis-tological study.
Thirty eight patients with HBs antigenemia were studied by indirect and direct immuno-fluorescent methods, and indirect and direct immunoperoxidase methods, using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of pancreatic tissue, to detect HBs Ag and HBc Ag. Shikata's orcein technique was also done for HBs Ag detection. Specificity was checked by absorption test for indirect methods, and blocking test for direct methods.
HBs Ag was positively stained in 21 patients out of the 38 patients, and the localization of HBs Ag was proved in pancreatic acinar cells, intralobular and interlobular ductal cells. HBc Ag was detected only in pancreatic acinar cells in the 6 cases which also had HBs Ag in the pancreas. HBV associated antigens were not found which Langerhans' islets. Control studies using 25 patients with no HBs antigenemia were all negative.
This study proved the localization of HBs and HBc Ag in pancreatic acinar cells and ductalcells. The preasent study suggests further evidence of HBV replication in the pancreas.