Woodchuck hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma: Correlation of histologic with virologic observations
Open Access
- 1 March 1981
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wolters Kluwer Health in Hepatology
- Vol. 1 (2), 91-98
- https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.1840010202
Abstract
The livers of 33 captive woodchucks were examined histologically in 30 biopsy and 10 autopsy specimens and the findings were correlated with serum determinations for woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV), surface antigen (WHsAg) and antibody (anti-WHs), and WHV DNA and DNA polymerase. The liver appeared normal in all 3 serum-negative animals, 7 of 16 with indeterminate WHV status, and 1 of 4 with anti-WHs, but not in 10 animals with WHsAg, WHV DNA, and DNA polymerase. Mild hepatic inflammation was found in 7 woodchucks with indeterminate status, 4 with anti-WHs, and 2 with each marker of WHV infection. Significant inflammation was found in 2 of indeterminate status and 4 with every marker, whereas more severe lesions (2 of chronic active type) occurred, almost always in autopsy specimens, in 8 animals with every marker. Eight of 10 animals with all markers had orcein-positive inclusions (Shikata’s technique) and 6 had hepatocellular carcinoma associated with acute and chronic hepatic inflammation and, usually, neoplastic nodules in the noncarcinomatous parenchyma. Features distinguishing the woodchuck lesion from human hepatitis B disease were: association of carcinoma with acute hepatic inflammation (but not with cirrhosis) and DNA polymerase in the serum; transition to carcinoma from neoplastic nodules; conspicuous plasma-cellular reaction of hepatic inflammation, and hematopoietic cells in the tumor. Significant hepatic lesions in the woodchucks were regularly associated with serum WHsAg, WHV DNA, and DNA polymerase. In contrast to man, hepatocellular carcinoma in woodchucks was regularly associated with these markers of active viral replication. The nature of the orcein-positive inclusions requires elucidation, although they may assist in screening for similar viruses in other species. The woodchuck may help in the study of the relation between hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatitis B, including the possibility of cocarcinogenic factors.Keywords
This publication has 23 references indexed in Scilit:
- Chronic hepatitis in chimpanzee carriers of hepatitis B virus: morphologic, immunologic, and viral DNA studies.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1980
- Integration of hepatitis B virus sequences and their expression in a human hepatoma cellNature, 1980
- Presence of integrated hepatitis B virus DNA sequences in cellular DNA of human hepatocellular carcinomaNature, 1980
- Identification of integrated hepatitis B virus DNA and expression of viral RNA in an HBsAg-producing human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lineNature, 1980
- A virus in Beechey ground squirrels that is related to hepatitis B virus of humans.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1980
- Isolation, characterization, and comparison of recombinant DNAs derived from genomes of human hepatitis B virus and woodchuck hepatitis virus.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1980
- Hepatitis-B surface antigen in tumour tissue and non-tumorous liver in black patients with hepatocellular carcinomaBritish Journal of Cancer, 1980
- A virus similar to human hepatitis B virus associated with hepatitis and hepatoma in woodchucks.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1978
- Hepatitis B surface antigen produced by a human hepatoma cell lineBritish Journal of Cancer, 1976
- Detection of Antibody to Hepatitis-Associated Antigen in Hemophilia Patients and in Voluntary Blood DonorsVox Sanguinis, 1973