Coexpression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and class I major histocompatibility complex antigens on hepatocyte membrane in chronic viral hepatitis.

AIMS To evaluate the role of hepatocyte expression of leucocyte adhesion molecules and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens in the pathogenesis of chronic viral hepatitis. METHODS The expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), lymphocyte function associated antigen 3 (LFA-3), and MHC class I and II antigens on hepatocyte membrane in relation to the histological and biochemical activities was studied in patients with chronic B hepatitis, chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH) n = 23; chronic active hepatitis (CAH) n = 20; chronic D hepatitis (CAH) n = 6; and chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis (CPH n = 4, CAM n = 6). Six of the latter were hepatitis C virus antibody positive. RESULTS In chronic B hepatitis ICAM-1 and MHC-I were expressed significantly more in patients with CAH than in those with CPH (p < 0.001), while the expression of LFA-3 and MHC-II showed no significant difference, irrespective of serum HBeAg or hepatitis B virus DNA. Similar findings were noted in non-A, non-B hepatitis. Regardless of the viral aetiology, patients with CAH had a significantly higher degree of ICAM-1 and MHC-I expression than LFA-3 (p < 0.001 v ICAM-1 and MHC-I, respectively) and MHC-II (p < 0.001 v ICAM-1 and MHC-I, respectively) expression. Those with CPH showed little or no difference in the expression of these four molecules. Furthermore, serum ALT values positively correlated with the hepatocyte expression of ICAM-1 (p < 0.001) and MHC-I (p < 0.001), but not LFA-3 (p > 0.05) and MHC-II (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS In chronic viral hepatitis hepatocyte expression of ICAM-1 and MHC-I might be important for immunosurveillance against virally infected hepatocytes, while the expression of LFA-3 and MHC-II does not seem to have a role in the pathogenesis of chronic viral hepatitis.