YMDD variants of HBV DNA polymerase gene: rapid detection and clinicopathological analysis with long-term lamivudine therapy after liver transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
To look for a rapid low-cost technique for the detection of HBV variants.


METHODS
Two patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) for HBV infection were treated with lamivudine (100 mg daily) and HBV infection recurred in the grafted livers. The patients were monitored intensively for liver enzymes, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and HBV DNA in serum. Liver biopsy was performed regularly. HBV DNA in a conserved polymerase domain (the YMDD locus) was amplified from serum of each patient by PCR and sequenced. HBV genotypes were analyzed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of the PCR products generated from a fragment of the polymerase gene.


RESULTS
YMDD wild-type HBV was detected in one patient by PCR-RFLP and DNA sequencing 19 mo after OLT, and YIDD mutant-type HBV in the other patient, 16 mo after OLT.


CONCLUSIONS
PCR-RFLP assay is an accurate and simple method for genotyping lamivudine-resistant HBV variants.
Pei
Fei
F
Department of Pathology, Health Science Center, Peking University, Beijing 100083, China.
Ning
Jun-Yu
JY
You
Jiang-Feng
JF
Yang
Jing-Pin
JP
Zheng
Jie
J
D000328:Adult; D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D001483:Base Sequence; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011182:Postoperative Care; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors
D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D019259:Lamivudine; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase