title: Effects of hepatitis B virus infection on human sperm chromosomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the level of sperm chromosome aberrations in male patients with hepatitis B, and to directly detect whether there are HBV DNA integrations in sperm chromosomes of hepatitis B patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sperm chromosomes of 14 tested subjects (5 healthy controls, 9 patients with HBV infection, including 1 with acute hepatitis B, 2 with chronic active hepatitis B, 4 with chronic persistent hepatitis B, 2 chronic HBsAg carriers with no clinical symptoms) were prepared using interspecific in vitro fertilization between zona-free golden hamster ova and human spermatozoa, and the frequencies of aberration spermatozoa were compared between subjects of HBV infection and controls. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to sperm chromosome spreads was carried out with biotin-labeled full length HBV DNA probe to detect the specific HBV DNA sequences in the sperm chromosomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total frequency of sperm chromosome aberrations in HBV infection group (14.8 %, 33/223) was significantly higher than that in the control group (4.3 %, 5/116). Moreover, the sperm chromosomes in HBV infection patients commonly presented stickiness, clumping, failure to staining, etc, which would affect the analysis of sperm chromosomes. Specific fluorescent signal spots for HBV DNA were seen in sperm chromosomes of one patient with chronic persistent hepatitis. In 9 (9/42) sperm chromosome complements containing fluorescent signal spots, one presented 5 obvious FISH spots, others presented 2 to 4 signals. There was significant difference of fluorescence intensity among the signal spots. The distribution of signal sites among chromosomes was random.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HBV infection can bring about mutagenic effects on sperm chromosomes. Integrations of viral DNA into sperm chromosomes which are multisites and nonspecific, can further increase the instability of sperm chromosomes. This study suggested that HBV infection can create extensively hereditary effects by alteration genetic constituent and/or induction chromosome aberrations, as well as the possibility of vertical transmission of HBV via the germ line to the next generation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Medical Genetics, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Tian-Hua
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Huan-Ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Xiao-Wu
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Tian-Gang
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.forename: Hong-Xi
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yong-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li-Zhi
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Jie-Wen
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Qiu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002877:Chromosomes, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D007621:Karyotyping; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012661:Semen / Q000276:immunology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens