Sister chromatid exchange and mitotic index in patients with cirrhosis related to hepatitis B and C viruses and in chronic carriers

Abstract

Background/Aims: It is controversial whether hepatitis B or C viruses induce liver cancer through nonspecific mechanisms (inflammation and cell renewal) or direct genotoxicity. Considering that both viruses infect peripheral lymphocytes, studying sister chromatid exchange frequency and mitotic index in peripheral lymphocytes is a reasonable experimental approach to investigate their genotoxic potential separately. In the present study we investigated sister chromatid exchange frequency and mitotic index in the peripheral lymphocytes of patients with cirrhosis and chronic carriers with positive serology for HBV or HCV infections.