ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the changes of genomic density polymorphism, quantitative expression and the adhesion activity of complement receptor type 1 (ECR1) on erythrocytes in patients with chronic hepatitis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Hind restriction enzyme digestion, the quantitative assay of ECR1 and the activity of erythrocytes immune adhesion test were applied.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The spot mutation rate (25.0%-30.3%) of ECR1 density gene in patients with chronic hepatitis was not significantly different from that of healthy individuals (28.0%). The amount of ECR1 in patients with chronic hepatitis, except for the diseases with normal liver function, was significantly lower than that of healthy individuals (t=9.87,P<0.000 1). The quantitative expression of ECR1 in decompensated cirrhosis was obviously lower than that of compensated cirrhosis (t=2.21,P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Defective expression of ECR1 in chronic hepatitis B may be acquired through central and/or peripheral mechanisms. It is very important to study the quantitative expression in the patients with chronic hepatitis.</p>