Cytoplasmic (but not nuclear) hepatitis B virus (HBV) core antigen reflects HBV DNA synthesis at the level of the infected hepatocyte.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) core antigen (HBcAg) detected by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique was present in the nucleus and cytoplasm of some infected hepatocytes but only in the cytoplasm of other hepatocytes. When cells expressing HBcAg were examined by in situ hybridization for the presence of HBV DNA, the intracellular level of cytoplasmic HBV replicative intermediate DNA correlated with the level of cytoplasmic HBcAg, but not with the presence or absence of nuclear HBcAg. This suggests that nuclear HBcAg may not be directly involved in hepadnavirus replication.