Immunohistochemical evidence for HIV-1 infection in the liver of HIV-infected patients]

To detect p24 antigen of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 in the liver biopsy specimens of patients with HIV infection.Liver biopsy samples from 14 patients with HIV/AIDS (11 man, 3 women; age range 27-52 years; infection time range 8-13 years) were examined by immunohistochemistry prospectively.Intracellular expression of HIV-1 p24 antigen was detected in Kupffer cells, endothelial cells and hepatocytes. There were more HIV-positive liver cells in the patients with severer liver damage than those with milder liver damage (t=2.5189, P=0.0270).These findings indicate that HIV-1 could replicate in the liver of HIV-infected patients and might be related to the liver cells apoptosis.