[The significance of activation-induced cell death (AICD) in pathogenesis of hepatitis B].

Objective: To explore the significance of activation-induced cell death (AICD) in pathogenesis of hepatitis B.

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from 10 healthy blood donors. PBMCs from one person were divided into two samples.

[Activity of specific deoxyribozymes to cleave hepatitis C virus RNA in vitro].

Objective: To analyze the cleavage activity of two deoxyribozymes targeting at hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in vitro and evaluate their prospects of antiviral therapy.

Methods: Two specific sequences containing 5' ..

Activity of HDV ribozymes to trans-cleave HCV RNA.

Aim: To explore whether HDV ribozymes have the ability to trans-cleave HCV RNA.

Methods: Three HDV genomic ribozymes were designed and named RzC1, RzC2 and RzC3. The substrate RNA contained HCV RNA 5'-noncoding region and 5'-fragment of C region (5'-NCR-C).

Hepatitis C virus may infect extrahepatic tissues in patients with hepatitis C.

AIM:To explore the status of extrahepatic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and replication in hepatitis C patients,and its potential implication in HCV infection and pathogenicity.METHODS:By reverse-transcriptase poly-merase chain reaction (RT-PCR),in situ hybridization (ISH) and immunohis-tochemistry, HCV RNA, HCV replicative intermediate (minus-strand of HCV RNA), and HCV antigens were detected in 38 autopsy extrahepatic tissue specimens (including 9 kidneys, 9 hearts, 9 pancreas, 5 intestines, 2 adrenal glands, 2 spleens, 1 lymph node, and 1 gallbladder) from 9 hepatitis C patients, respectively; and the status of HCV replication in extrahepatic tissues was studied.RESULTS:By RT-PCR, all 9 patients were positive for HCV RNA in kidney, heart, pancreas, and intestine, but only 6(66.