Effect of hepatitis C virus core protein on modulation of cellular proliferation and apoptosis in hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is believed to be an important human pathogen causing carcinoma. But the effect of HCV infection on the alteration of cellular proliferation and apoptosis and the relationship between the effect and the development of hilar cholangiocarcinoma are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of HCV core protein on proliferation and apoptosis of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. HCV core protein (HCV C protein) was detected by peroxidase-antiperoxidase assay in surgical specimens from 48 patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma. The apoptosis index (AI) and PCNA index (PI) in hilar cholangiocarcinoma were detected by in situ end labeling assay and streptavidin-biotin assay respectively. The expression of HCV C protein was observed in 32 (67.7%) of the 48 specimens of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. The mean+/-standard deviation for AI and PI was 3.52%+/-0.64% and 46.24%+/-11.46% respectively. The AI of hilar cholangiocarcinoma specimens with HCV C protein expression was significantly lower than that of HCV C protein negative specimens (P<0.01), whereas the PI of HCV C protein positive specimens was significantly higher than that of HCV C protein negative specimens (P<0.01). HCV C protein may promote the cellular proliferation of hilar cholangiocarcinoma and inhibit its cellular apoptosis.