Relationship between the different replication status of HBV and mutations in the core promoter in mothers and their children infected via mother-to-infant transmission.
OBJECTIVE
To study the relationship between the different replication status of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and mutations in the core promoter (CP) in mother and her child infected by mother-to-infant transmission.


METHODS
The core promoter was amplified by PCR and cloned into pGEM-T vector with the T-A cloning technique. The recombinant plasmid pGEM-CP was confirmed by digestion with restriction enzyme Apa I and Sac I. Two clones were selected to be sequenced in each patient.


RESULTS
Every pair of mother and child had same serotype and genotype and the homology of nucleotides encoding "a" determinant was 98%-100%. The number of mutations in the core promoter of patients with a high replication status was less than that in those with a low replication status. Mutations were mainly distributed in basia core promoter (BCP) and the inhibitor region of Kunitz-type serine protease. This difference was not associated with mother or child.


CONCLUSIONS
The different replication status of HBV is caused by mutations in the core promoter in mother and child infected by mother-to-infant transmission and appears to be not associated with the status of development of the infection.
Xu
Hong-Mei
HM
Research Institute of Viral Hepatitis, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China. xuhongm0095@sina.com.cn
Qing
Yu-Ling
YL
Peng
Ming-Li
ML
Ling
Ning
N
Ren
Hong
H
D000328:Adult; D002353:Carrier State; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D004279:DNA, Viral; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000635:transmission*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D009154:Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011336:Probability; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014779:Virus Replication
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens