Timing of reinfection and mechanisms of hepatocellular damage in transplanted hepatitis C virus-reinfected liver

Pathogenic mechanisms and dynamics of hepatitis C virus (HCV) reinfection in orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) are poorly defined. This study focuses on these aspects by studying 55 frozen biopsy specimens from transplant recipients with various histological diagnoses obtained from 4 days to 4 years post-OLT and 10 patients with HCV-related chronic hepatitis. The percentage of HCV-infected hepatocytes, number and distribution of CD8 and natural killer cells, and rates of hepatocellular apoptosis and proliferation were quantified by immunohistochemistry. HCV antigens were detected in 37% of biopsy specimens obtained within 20 days and 90% of biopsy specimens obtained from 21 days to 6 months after OLT. The number of HCV-infected hepatocytes was never less than 40% in acute hepatitis specimens and never greater than 30% in the other cases. Hepatocellular apoptosis was high in biopsy specimens of acute hepatitis and moderate in those from transplant recipients with normal histological characteristics, but still greater than in specimens of chronic active hepatitis. Proliferation correlated significantly with apoptosis. Lymphocyte infiltration was high and similar among cases of acute hepatitis, chronic hepatitis, and rejection. These data: (1) show that the detection of liver HCV antigens is sensitive enough to be used in clinical practice as a diagnostic tool to detect infection of the transplanted liver and might be useful, combined with conventional histological evaluation to detect hepatitic damage, for therapeutic decision making; (2) suggest direct cytotoxicity of HCV, as well as immunologic mechanisms possibly prevalent in chronic hepatitis and rejection, at least in the phase of acute massive liver infection; and (3) show that hepatocellular apoptosis and regeneration might be active enough to lead to replacement of the entire transplanted liver in 2 weeks.