[Expression and subcellular localization of APOBEC3G in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and liver tissues of chronic HBV patients].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To study the expression level and intracellular localization of APOBEC3G in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and liver tissues of chronic HBV patients. METHODS: The expression level and intracellular localization of APOBEC3G in PBMCs and liver tissues were detected using the western blot and confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). RESULTS: Western-blot showed that the expression level of APOBEC3G in PBMCs of healthy controls was very low. The relative expression levels of APOBEC3G in PBMC of patients with chronic hepatitis B, chronic severe hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, or liver cancer were 4.12+/-0.21, 4.07+/-0.28, 4.16+/-0.36 or 4.21+/-0.39 respectively, which were higher than that in the healthy controls. However, there was no significant difference in APOBEC3G expression among different chronic HBV patients (q = 0.931, 0.744, 1.675, 1.675, 2.606 or 0.931, respectively, all P values more than 0.05). In addition, there was no significant difference on APOBEC3G in liver tissues between chronic hepatitis B patients and hepatocellular carcinoma patients (4.40+/-0.34 vs 4.34+/-0.43, q = 0.588, P more than 0.05). CLSM indicated that the localization of APOBEC3G protein was in cytoplasm of PBMCs and hepatocytes. CONCLUSION: APOBEC3G is upregulated in the PBMCs of chronic hepatitis B patients.