Intrahepatic distribution of hepatitis B surface and core antigens in chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Hepatocyte with cytoplasmic/membranous hepatitis B core antigen as a possible target for immune hepatocytolysis.

The intrahepatic distribution of hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) and surface antigen (HBsAg) was studied in 32 patients with chronic type B hepatitis, and the results were correlated with the status of hepatitis B e antigen/antibody (HBeAg/anti-HBe) and with the histologic activity of the patients. In HBeAg-positive patients with minor hepatitis activity, HBcAg was distributed mainly in the nuclei, whereas HBsAg was diffusely located on the plasma membrane as well as focally in the cytoplasm. In HBeAg-positive patients with chronic active liver disease, although the distribution pattern of HBsAg in liver remained unchanged, the expression of nuclear HBcAg decreased significantly with concomitant increase in cytoplasmic/membranous HBcAg expression. In HBsAg carriers who were anti-HBe positive, HBcAg was undetectable anywhere, whereas HBsAg could be seen only in the cytoplasm. These results suggest that membranous expression of HBsAg relates closely to active viral replication but is probably not responsible for the observed histologic activities. In contrast, cytoplasmic/membranous expression of HBcAg correlates with high degree of liver inflammatory activity. It is therefore suggested that hepatocytes with cytoplasmic/membranous HBcAg expression might be the target cells for immune hepatocytolysis.