TABLE 1.

Detection of HBx protein in liver tissues and anti-HBx antibody in sera of HCC patients

Patient no.	Sex	Age (yr)	Operation date (mo/day/yr)	Detectiona of:
				HBxb	Anti-HBxc
1	M	54	5/24/1994	+	+
2	M	38	5/15/1995	+	+
3	F	58	6/8/1995	+	+
4	M	50	7/31/1995	+	+
5	M	66	8/2/1995	+	+
6	M	58	8/26/1995	+	+
7	M	69	12/18/1995	+	+
8	M	69	4/4/1996	+	+
9	M	41	2/15/1996	+	+
10	M	53	2/15/1996	+	+
11	M	64	2/26/1996	−	−
12	M	40	3/4/1996	+	+
13	M	44	3/21/1996	+	+
14	F	45	3/25/1996	+	+
15	M	68	5/6/1996	+	+
16	M	73	5/13/1996	−	−
17	F	65	8/6/1996	+	−
18	M	29	8/7/1996	−	−
19	M	36	8/26/1996	+	−
20	M	60	9/2/1996	+	−

^a+, positive response; −, negative response.

^bHBx protein in HCC liver tissues was detected by Western blotting with an anti-HBx monoclonal antibody.

^cAntibodies in patients' sera were detected by Western blotting with the E. coli-expressing HBx recombinant protein as an antigen.