[Defective short variants of S region in chronic HBV carriers].
We analyzed the pre-S and S region of hepatitis B virus by polymerase chain reaction in 60 chronic carriers. In 10 hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic carriers, a single DNA band was detected at the expected size, whereas additional shorter DNA bands were observed in some cases with chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The smaller-sized DNA bands from chronic hepatitis patients had the deletion of 183 bp in the pre-S gene, and the deletion of 492 bp in S gene. The reasons of the appearance of these mutants are unknown, but it may be interesting to study in relationship to the mechanism of host immune response.
Ohno
T
T
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagoya City University Medical School.
Mizokami
M
M
Wakita
T
T
Kakumu
S
S
D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology*; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000235:genetics*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens