Evidence of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Cancer and Noncancer Stem Cells Associated with Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Figure 1

Immunofluorescence and confocal images of hepatitis B virus core antigen (HBcAg) and hepatitis B virus x protein (HBx) and the stem cell marker epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and adjacent nontumor tissues. Panel (a) overlay of HBcAg (red) and EpCAM (green) positive cells and DAP1 nuclei counterstaining (blue) in HCC tissue (panels (a1)–(a3), resp.). Insert: confocal image of HBcAg and EpCAM positive staining cell. Panel (b): overlay of HBx (red) and EpCAM (green) positive cells and DAP1 nuclei counterstaining (blue) in HCC tissue (panels (b1)–(b3), resp.). Insert: confocal image of HBx and EpCAM positive staining cell. Panel (c): staining of adjacent nontumor tissue for the same proteins described in panel (a). EpCAM positive staining cells were located in close proximity to the portal tracts of the liver lobule. Panel (d): staining of adjacent nontumor tissue for the same proteins described in panel (b). Magnification 40x and 60x (inserts).