Abstract: HObjective: To study the expression of human leucocyte antigen I（HLAⅠ） in patients with hepatitis B virus infection and hepatocellular carcinoma. Method: HLAI in 51 liver tissues of viral hepatitis B and 43 tumor tissues of hepatocellular carcinoma was examined by flow cytometry. Results: The expression of HLAI was lower in tumor tissue of hepatocellular carcinoma(36.47±19.38) than that in liver tissue of chronic viral hepatitis B(79.54±41.55, P＜0.01)and normal liver tissues(81.86±46.53, P＜0.01), but no significant difference was found between the normal liver tissues and tissues of chronic viral hepatitis(P＞0.05). Moreover, the expression of HLAI in tumor tissues with lymphnode involvement was lower than in tumors without involvement(22.83±11.59 vs 46.28±23.16) (P＜0.05). There was a reverse relation between the expression of HLAI and the level of serum alpha fetoprotein (r=-0.741?1, P＜0.01), but a positive relation was found between with histological differenciation grading(r=0.805?1, P＜0.05). Conclusion: Low expression of HLAI is relation to development and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Key words: LAI antigens, Hepatitis B, Carcinoma, hepatocellular