title: Preliminary identification and analysis of different points related with response to interferon-alpha in HBV post-transcriptional regulatory element.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To screen the differential points related with response to interferon-alpha in HBV post-transcriptional regulatory element (HPRE).
  
  
  METHODS
  HPRE sequence of 31 Chinese patients with HBV infection were detected by direct sequencing of PCR products. Differential points in HPRE between Chinese patients and White patients were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The T to C differential point at nt 1 504 and C to T(G) at nt 1 508 were found respectively in HPRE of 21 and 19 patients with chronic hepatitis B, the C to T differential point at nt 1 509 were found in 17 cases. These differential points were not found in HPRE of the White patients. The relationship between the HPRE differential points and the levels of HBV DNA was not observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There were differential points in the HPRE between Chinese and White HBV patients, which might be correlated with response to interferon-alpha.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Tong-Jing
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Kang-Xian
authors.initials: KX
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Jin-Lin
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D016898:Interferon-alpha