Expression of granzyme-B and apoptosis protein in patients of chronic liver disease

Objective: Despite the presumed fundamental difference between apoptosis and necrosis the recent study supports the view that in case of ischemia /reperfusion the apoptosis may divert to necrosis（necrapoptosis）.It is to analyse the expression of granzyme –B（GrB）、pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic protien and viral hepatitis B antigen （HBV antigen） in the hepatocytes of the chronic liver disease patients. Methods: the GrB、.apoptosis protein and HBV antigen in the liver tissue was studied by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization.Seventy seven cases of liver diseases,among them 32 cases of chronic hepatitis （CH）,14 cases of liver cirrhosis（LC） and 31 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma（HCC）.were studied. Results: There were no significant difference in the expression level of GrB among the three groups. The expression levels of pro-apoptosis protein Fas、FasL in the LC group were significantly higher than that in HCC group （P ＜0.05、0.01）. The expression levels of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 in the LC and HCC groups were significantly higher than in CH group （P ＜0.001、0.01）. The expression levels of HBcAg in the HCC group is 61.29%（19/31）,significantly higher than that of LC group 28.5%（4/14）, P ＜0.05. Conclusion: The expression of necrosis factor GrB were correlated with the activity of the inflammation of the liver （HAI）.The expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 were higher in liver cirrhosis and HCC than in hepatitis. The relation between the expression of HBV antigon and expression of GrB and apoptosis protein needs further study.