[An epidemiological study of hepatitis C virus infection in a local district in Japan].

Mass screening of anti-HCV in Iyo city, Japan was performed. Sera from 136 subjects were tested for anti-HCV by ELISA (Ortho Diagnostic Inc.).

Detection of hepatitis C virus antibody in patients with autoimmune hepatitis and other chronic liver diseases.

To clarify the relationship between autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and the hepatitis C virus (HCV), we investigated the prevalence of antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV) by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in patients with AIH, primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), rheumatoid arthritis and multiple myeloma. The antibody was detected in 9 out of 18 patients with AIH (50%), in 3 out of 23 with PBC (23%), in 2 out of 10 with rheumatoid arthritis (20%), and in 5 out of 9 with multiple myeloma (56%). However, the optical density values in these patients were lower than those observed in non-A, non-B hepatitis (NANBH).

Hepatitis B virus replication in dark reddish patchy markings appearing on the hepatic surface.

We investigated the localization of hepatitis B virus (HBV) antigens and HBV DNA in dark reddish patchy markings (DRPM) on the hepatic surface in three patients with chronic active hepatitis B. The number of hepatitis B core antigen-positive hepatocytes in areas of DRPM was less than that in areas not appearing as DRPM. The grain concentration indicating HBV DNA on autoradiography in hepatocytes in areas of DRPM was less than that in areas not appearing as DRPM.

[A staining method of PIVKA-II by an indirect immunoenzyme technic].

The localization of PIVKA-II in liver tissue was studied by the immuno-staining method using monoclonal antibody. The cell lines derived from hepatoblastoma (huH-6), hepatocellular carcinoma (PLC/PFR/5), and normal liver (Chang) were used as materials for staining. We succeeded to stain PIVKA-II, when the materials were fixed in a formalin solution and frozen.

[A cell kinetic study of liver cells in various liver diseases by the detection of DNA polymerase alpha].

DNA polymerase alpha (DNA-P alpha) in the nuclei of hepatocytes was visualized by the immunoperoxidase method to study the number of liver cells which were at the stage of G1, S, and G2 stage in the cell cycle. Seven liver specimens from patients with acute hepatitis (AH), 17 with chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH), 32 with chronic active hepatitis (CAH), 6 with liver cirrhosis (LC), 4 with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 4 with hospital controls were studied. The number of DNA-P alpha-positive hepatocytes in 1000 hepatocytes were as follows: 19.

HBV-DNA hybridization in hepatocellular carcinoma associated with alcohol in Japan.

To clarify the role of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) associated with alcohol consumption, HBV-DNA in the liver of 19 patients with HCC were investigated. HBV-DNA was examined by Southern blot hybridization. HBV-DNA was integrated into tumor cells from five out of six (83%) patients with HCC associated with HBs antigen (HBsAg)-positive post-hepatitic liver cirrhosis (LC), but this was not related to the history of alcohol intake.

Change of hepatitis B virus DNA distribution associated with the progression of chronic hepatitis.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA was detected by in situ hybridization in 53 out of 74 liver specimens from patients with chronic HBV infection. The distribution of HBV DNA was classified into three patterns: diffuse (HBV DNA distributed diffusely, within the section of specimen), lobular (HBV DNA was present in 1/3-2/3 of the section) and spotty. All three specimens from asymptomatic HBV carriers showed the diffuse pattern.