Human hepatitis B virus mutants: significance of molecular changes.
Human hepatitis B virus, the leading pathogen for hepatitis B, is a compact DNA virus with viral genes that largely overlap. An increasing number of mutations have emerged following human interventions such as vaccination and anti-viral therapy. While vaccine escape mutants are characterized by mutations on the antigenic hepatitis B surface antigen, those carrying mutations in other viral proteins are either resistant to anti-viral therapy or implicated in acute liver diseases. Molecular identification of these various mutants should shed new lights on the underlying mechanism of hepatitis B virus viral escape and resistance and provide helpful information on their effective eradication.
Department of Clinical Research, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore. gcrcwn@sgh.gov.sg
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Chen
C J
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Oon
D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D009154:Mutation; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D015534:Trans-Activators; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; C057628:hepatitis B virus X protein; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase