| Chronic hepatitis B was a common disease. Efficient drugs against HBV were not found so far. In addition, chronic hepatitis B worsen gradually even if pathological factors were eliminated. Present studies manifested that clinical condition was characterized by the progression of the disease from chronic hepatitis B to hepatic fibrosis , cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma . Liver fibrosis could be reversible, but liver cirrhosis couldn't be reversible. Consequently, it was worthy of further study to investigate hepatitis B virus-associated f ibrogenesis and find efficient drugs to prevent aggressive hepatic fibrosis. This study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between PDGF-BB expression and hepatitis B virus-associated fibrogenesis.Materials and MethodsLiver tissues were obtained by percutaneous transhepatic biopsyand from in-patients of our or other hospitals from 1999 to 2000, 31 males, 11 females, mean 31.9 years old(age of 17~48 years old), duration of 1~30 years. Positivity for HBV markers was found in all liver biopsy samples. The liver tissues of 43 patients with chronic hepatitis B were embedded with paraffin and stained with HE and picric acid~sirius red in order to determine the inflammatory activity (grade from 0 to 4) and the severity of fibrosis (stage from 0 to 4). A semiquantitative evaluation was performed to determine PDGF-BB expression which was detected by immunohistochemistry.The levels of serum hyaluronic acid(HA),pro-collagen(PC III), IV-collagen(IV-C) and laminin(LN) were examined by RIA.ResultsLiver tissues of 43 patients with chronic hepatitis B showed chronic inflammation and fibrosis of various degree. The severity of fibrosis was stage 0 in seven patients, stage 1 in seventeen, stage 2 in eight, stage 3 in six, and stage 4 in five patients. The inflammatory activity was grade 1 in thirteen patients, grades 2 in fourteen, grade 3 in twelve, and grade 4 in four patients. Immunohistochemistry revealed that PDGF-BB was diffusely distributed in cytoplasm of positive cells . Most PDGF-BB expression was found in a few mesenchymal cells of portal areas and fibrous septa. In intralobular areas, perisinusoidal cells immunostained for PDGF-BB were seen mainly in the regions of necroinf lammation. The expression of PDGF-BB positively correlatedwith inflammatory activity and the severity of fibrosis( t =0. 58, 0. 55, P<0. 01) . Positive correlation was also found between the expression of PDGF-BB and the levels of HA, PCIII, IV-C, LN in the sera(r=0. 52, 0. 32, 0. 40, 0. 33, P<0. 05).Conclusion1-. PDGF-BB played an essentional role in the formation anddevelopment of liver fibrosis. 2> The detection of serum PDGF-BB may be valuable for diagnosinghepatic fibrosis. 3x The management of PDGF activity by antagonist may preventaggressive liver fibrosis, and improve the prognosis of chronichepatitis B. |
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