Precore and core promoter mutations at the time of HBeAg seroclearance in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of precore and core promoter (CP) mutations before, at and after HBeAg seroclearance in Chinese patients.


METHODS
Precore and CP mutations were determined in 93 patients with chronic hepatitis B 12-24 months before, at and 12 months after the time of HBeAg seroclearance.


RESULTS
No significant changes were found in the prevalence of precore or CP mutations before, at and after HBeAg seroclearance. Seven patients (7.8%) had HBeAg seroreversion within 1 year of HBeAg seroclearance. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of precore and CP mutations between patients with and without HBeAg seroreversion. 68.3% and 48.7% of patients harbored the same precore and CP genotypes throughout. 32.0% patients with precore mutations and 8.9% patients with CP mutations before HBeAg seroclearance had reversion to wild type within 1 year of HBeAg seroclearance. Patients with genotype C patients had a higher prevalence of CP mutations before HBeAg seroclearance compared with patients with genotype B (82.4% vs. 44%, P=0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Precore and CP mutations existed in a substantial proportion of Chinese patients before HBeAg seroclearance. The replication of precore and, to a lesser extent, CP mutants could be suppressed around the time of HBeAg seroclearance.
Yuan
He-Jun
HJ
Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, PR China.
Ka-Ho Wong
Danny
D
Doutreloigne
Joke
J
Sablon
Erwin
E
Lai
Ching-Lung
CL
Yuen
Man-Fung
MF
D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics*
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D011498:Protein Precursors