Figure 4.

The expression of HVEM in liver tissues from patients with HBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF), as detected by immunofluorescence staining. (A) HVEM was absence on sections from normal individuals. The bile ducts (B) and infiltrating lymphocytes (C) (indicated by arrowhead) of liver sections from HBV-ACLF patients are positive for HVEM. (D) The expression of HVEM in bile ducts was also found in two cases of CHB. (E) Immunofluorescence double staining demonstrated that HVEM was expressed on CK-18⁺ epithelial cells and CD68⁺macrophages, whereas it was absent on CD3⁺ T cells, CD8⁺ T cells, CD16⁺ monocytes, and CD31⁺ endothelial cells. The arrows indicate positive cells. The nuclei were stained with DAPI, and the scale bar indicates 20 μm.