title: Structure and selection of hepatitis B virus variants during the natural course of infection and interferon therapy.
abstract: The consequences of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection range from asymptomatic transient and chronic infections to mild and severe forms of hepatitis up to the development of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Immune-mediated destruction of infected liver cells plays a major role in HBV pathogenesis. Escape from immune-recognition by changing the antigenic make-up of HBV or by preventing the expression of some viral proteins leads to the emergence of viral variants. Variants can harbor mutations in the pre-core/core gene (pre C/C) or the preS/S gene, either of which can play a role in immune escape, viral persistence, and pathogenesis. A novel method has been developed to facilitate identification and functional analysis of full-length variant genomes of HBV, with implications for HBV diagnosis and therapy.
authors.affiliation: Heinrich-Pette-Institut für Experimentelle Virologie und Immunologie, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Günther
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miska
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meisel
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Will
mesh_terms: D014644:Genetic Variation; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000821:virology*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D011498:Protein Precursors; C050807:presurface protein 2, hepatitis B surface antigen