title: Detection of hepatitis B virus transcripts in patients with chronic liver disease.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) transcription was studied by Northern blot analysis on total cellular RNA purified from liver biopsies in 70 patients with chronic liver disease (24 HBsAg positive, 15 antiHBs and/or antiHBc positive, 31 HBV negative). No transcripts were found in the HBV negative and in the antiHBs and/or antiHBc positive patients. In the others, three major RNA species were identified: i. a 3.5 kb transcript corresponding to the RNA pregenome; ii. 2.4-2.1 kb transcript corresponding to the s and preS1 gene RNA; iii. lower molecular weight species. All three forms were present simultaneously only in patients with active viral replication, with a strict relation between the presence of the 3.5 kb RNA in the liver and serum HBV-DNA. In conclusion, Northern blot analysis can easily be performed to study viral replication and it can contribute to a better understanding of the molecular processes underlying HBV infection and leading to liver disease in man.
authors.affiliation: Chair of Gastroenterology, University of Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pasquinelli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Melegari
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Villa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seidenari
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Scaglioni
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tiribelli
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Crocé
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Manenti
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015342:DNA Probes; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019791:Guanidine; D006146:Guanidines; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D019800:Phenol; D010636:Phenols; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006146:Guanidines; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D010636:Phenols; D012367:RNA, Viral; D019800:Phenol; D019791:Guanidine