Objective: To study the role of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) in the pathogenesis of viral hepatitis B.
Methods: ICAM-1, LFA-1 and CD(8) expression in the livers of 11 healthy persons and 70 patients with HBV infection were studied by using immunohistochemical techniques. Hepatic coexpression of ICAM-1 and LFA-1 were studied using double staining immunohistochemical techniques.
Results: In the areas of inflammation and necrosis, intensive infiltration of LFA-1 positive lymphocytes were often observed around hepatocytes with enhanced ICAM-1 expression, with some of these lymphocytes in close contact with hepatocytes expressing ICAM-1. In addition, the debris of necrotic cells and injured hepatocytes were found at the surrounding of LFA-1 positive lymphocytes.
Conclusion: The interaction of ICAM-1 and LFA-1 is involved in mediating the adhesion of lymphocytes and hepatocytes, and it plays an important part in the immunopathogenesis of chronic viral hepatitis B and severe viral hepatitis B.