The role of NV-F in hepatocellular carcinoma

• Main Authors: Chih Chieh Tsai, 蔡志杰
• Other Authors: C. T. Yeh
• Format: Others
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/18218282177447711425

碩士 === 長庚大學 === 生物醫學研究所 === 97 === Recently, we have identified a novel single-stranded DNA fragment derived from a virus-like agent associated with human hepatitis. This DNA fragment was sensitive to S1 nuclease digestion. Cesium chloride gradient analysis revealed that the NV-F associated particles had buoyant densities of 1.33–1.39 and 1.22–1.25 g/mL. NV-F virus DNA was identified in 15.4% of HCC tissues. HCC patients with NV-F infection were significantly older than those without NV-F virus infection. In the present experiment, we performed a case-control study to compare the prevalence of NV-F infection in 44 patients with non-B, non-C hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 88 age- and sex-matched, non-HCC individuals.We used DNA extraction followed by PCR and Southern blot to determine the prevalence of NV-F infection in non-B, non-C HCC patients and non-B, non-C, non-HCC individuals. Furthermore , we generated a large amount of NV-F antigen for immunohistochemistry analysis. Of the 44 patients with non-B, non-C HCC, 15 (34.09 %) were positive for serum NV-F DNA. None of the 88 individuals tested positive for NV-F DNA. Non-B, non-C HCC patients were significantly association with positive NV-F virus DNA (p<0.001). Clinicopathological analysis showed that there was no difference between NV-F DNA positive and negative patients with non-B, non-C HCC. Immunohischemical analysis revealed positive NV-F antigen expression in the liver in NV-F DNA positive patients with decreased positive NV-F antigen staining in antigen-absorption test. In conclusion, the study supports that NV-F agent infection may play an important role in non-B, non-C HCC.