Impact of hepatitis C virus genotype 3 on liver disease progression in a Chinese national cohort.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 3, particularly subtype 3b, is increasing in prevalence and distribution in China. This study evaluated the prevalence, regional distribution, clinical characteristics, host factors, treatment outcomes, and disease progression of patients with HCV genotype 3 in China. METHODS: A 5-year follow-up was preceded by a cross-sectional study. Treatment choices were at the discretion of treating physicians. Estimated infection time to overall-disease-progression (defined by ≥1 of: newly diagnosed cirrhosis; cirrhosis at baseline, Child-Turcotte-Pugh score increased 2 points or more; progression from compensated cirrhosis to decompensated cirrhosis; hepatocellular carcinoma; liver transplantation; or death) was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the risk factors for disease progression. RESULTS: The cross-sectional study enrolled 997 patients, including 91 with HCV genotype 3 infection. Among them, subtype 3b (57.1%) was more dominant than subtype 3a (38.5%). Five hundred and twelve patients were included into the follow-up phase. Among patients analyzed for estimated infection time to overall-disease-progression, 52/304 (17.1%) patients with HCV genotype 1 and 4/41 (9.8%) with HCV genotype 3 (4/26 with genotype 3b, 0/13 with genotype 3a, and 0/2 with undefined subtype of genotype 3) experienced overall-disease-progression. Patients with HCV genotype 3 were younger than those with genotype 1 (mean age: 39.5 ±â€Š8.7 vs. 46.9 ±â€Š13.6 years) and demonstrated more rapid disease progression (mean estimated infection time to overall-disease-progression 27.1 vs. 35.6 years). CONCLUSIONS: HCV genotype 3, specifically subtype 3b, is associated with more rapid progression of liver disease. Further analysis to compare HCV subtype 3a and 3b is needed in high prevalence regions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01293279, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01293279; NCT01594554, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01594554.

[Pathological grading analysis of liver biopsies in chronic hepatitis B virus carriers of different age ranges].

OBJECTIVE: To study the best time of taking liver biopsy for chronic HBV carriers of age ranges and then guiding antiretroviral treatment. METHOD: The liver biopsy pathologic results of 292 cases of chronic HBV carriers were collected from the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical College. The patients were divided into three groups according to ages. The differences between groups were compared by calculating the ratio of inflammation above G2 or fibrosis staging above S2. RESULT: The percentages of the chronic HBV carriers with liver histopathology inflammation graded above G2 or fibrosis staging above S2 were 26.5% (36/136) in 11 to 29 year-old group, 39.4% (37/94) in 30-39 year-old group and 58.1% (36/62) in 40-60 year-old group. Significant difference existed among groups in general (P less than 0.01). 39.4% (37/94) of chronic HBV carriers were found with inflammation graded above G2 or fibrosis staging above S2 in 30-39 year-old group, no statistically significant difference found between group 30-39 years old and group and 40-60 years old 58.1% (36/62) (P less than 0.01). 26.5% (36/136) of chronic HBV carriers under 30 years old were with inflammation graded above G2 or fibrosis staging above S2 as compared with the percentage of 46.8% (73/156) in the chronic HBV carriers over 30 years old group, and significant difference existed between the two groups (P less than 0.01). CONCLUSION: The best time choice of taking liver biopsy should be at the ages elder than or equal to 30.

[Effects of exogenous NO on ascorbate-glutathione cycle in loquat leaves under low temperature stress].

Three-year-old 'Zaozhong No. 6' loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) seedlings were foliar-sprayed with 0.2, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mmol x L(-1) of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), subjected to low temperature (-3 degrees) stress for 6 hours, and then cultured at 25 degrees C for four days. The antioxidant metabolites and enzymes in the seedling leaves were determined 0, 1, and 4 days after recovery. Comparing with the control (water spraying), all SNP treatments had a decreased H2O2 content but an increased content of glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid (AsA) and increased activity of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) and monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDAR) in the seedling leaves. Four days after recovery, the H2O2 content in the seedling leaves treated with 0.5 mmol x L(-1) of SNP decreased by 75.53%, while the GSH and AsA contents and the APX, GR, DHAR and MDAR activities were increased by 29.12%, 23.40%, 50.0%, 44.4%, 49.53%, and 62.68%, respectively. All of these suggested that appropriate dosage of exogenous NO could enhance the activity of antioxidant system in loquat leaves and alleviated the cell injury of loquat leaves under low temperature stress. In this study, the appropriate dosage of NO was 0.5 mmol x L(-1) of SNP.

Detection of HBV, PCNA and GST-pi in hepatocellular carcinoma and chronic liver diseases.

AIM: To investigate the change of HBV DNA, PCNA and GST-pi in chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and glutathione S-transferases (GST-pi) were detected by immunohistochemical staining and HBV DNA was detected by in situ hybridization (ISH) in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded sections with a total of 111 specimens of chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, paratumorous tissue, HCC and normal liver tissue. RESULTS: The positive rates of HBsAg and HBVDNA were 62.5 %(15/24) and 75.0 %(12/16) in chronic hepatitis, 64.0 %(16/25) and 83.3 %(15/18) in liver cirrhosis, 72.7 %(16/22) and 85.7 %(12/14) in the paratumorous tissu and 45.0 %(14/31) and 64.3 %(9/14) in HCC. The positive HBVDNA granules in chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and the paratumorous tissue were more intense than that in HCC. The positive rates of PCNA and GST-pi were 34.8 %(8/23) and 25.0 %(4/16) in chronic hepatitis, 73.7 %(14/19) and 17.6 %(3/17) in liver cirrhosis, 86.7 %(13/15) and 53.3 %(8/15) in the paratumorous tissue, 100 %(15/15) and 60.0 %(9/15) in HCC, respectively, and the positive rate of GST-pi in the paratumorous tissue was significantly higher than that in the liver cirrhosis without tumor (P<0.05), but same as that in HCC (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The HBV infection may increase expression of PCNA and GST-pi. The paratumor cirrhosis may be a sequential lesion of precancerous cirrhosis around HCC.

[Expression of GST-pi and HBV infection in hepatocellular carcinoma].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: The expression of glutathione S-transferases(GST-pi) might abnormally increase in many carcinogenesis, and the alteration of GST-pi preceded than that alteration of cell morphology. This study was designed to investigate the expression of glutathione S-transferases (GST-pi) and its relationship with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), Hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg), and GST-pi were detected by immunohistochemical staining and HBV DNA was detected by in situ hybridization (ISH) in total 86 samples of chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, paratumor cirrhosis, HCC, and normal liver tissue. RESULTS: The positive expression rates of HBsAg, HBcAg, and HBV DNA were 61.9% (13/21), 42.9% (9/21), and 75.0% (12/16) in chronic hepatitis; 64.0% (16/25), 36.0% (9/25), and 83.3% (15/18) in liver cirrhosis; 72.7% (16/22), 61.1% (11/18), and 85.7% (12/14) in the paratumor cirrhosis, as well as 45.0% (14/31), 50.0% (14/28) and 64.3% (9/14) in HCC. HBV DNA positive granules in chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and the paratumor cirrhosis were more and stronger than that in HCC, respectively. The positive expression rates of GST-pi were 25.0% (4/16), 17.6% (3/17), 53.3% (8/15), and 60.0% (9/15) in chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, the Paratumor cirrhosis, and HCC, respectively. The positive rate of GST-pi in the paratumor cirrhosis was significantly higher than that in the liver cirrhosis without tumor (P < 0.05), but the same as in HCC (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Most of the HCC cases were closely associated with chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis of HBV infection. The HBV infection may increase expression of GST-pi. The paratumor cirrhosis may be a sequential lesion of precancerous cirrhosis around HCC.