title: Variations in the core promoter/pre-core region in HBV genotype C in Japanese and Northern Vietnamese patients.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) subgenotypes Cs (C1) and Ce (C2) are common in East Asia. To investigate the genomic difference of HBV genotype C between two separated regions, 50 subgenotype Cs-infected Vietnamese and 70 subgenotype Ce-infected Japanese patients were enrolled for analysis. The patients were categorized to either a hepatocellular carcinoma group (HCC) or a non-HCC group including liver cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, and asymptomatic carriers. HBV serology, HBV-DNA level, and variations in core promoter/pre-core region were examined. Phylogenetic analysis based on the full genome sequences and nucleotide sequences partly in the S gene and in the P gene revealed that all Japanese strains (70/70) were subgenotype Ce, and nearly all of the Vietnamese strains (50/51) were subgenotype Cs, excluding one subgenotype C5. C1858 and G1775 were common in the Vietnamese (64% and 40%) but not in the Japanese (0%). The prevalence of C/A1753 in Vietnamese was higher than that in the Japanese (32% vs. 17.1%), however the frequency of A1896 in the Japanese was significantly higher (32.9% vs. 12%, P < 0.05). Most of the Vietnamese patients with HCC had a high level of HBV-DNA, the Japanese HCC had a relatively low level. In the Vietnamese, C/A1753 and C1858 were associated closely with T1762A1764, higher HBV-DNA levels and higher HCC incidence. The multivariate analysis revealed that male, T1653 and C/A1753 were independent risk factors for HCC. The subgenotypes and unique mutations of HBV genotype C in the Vietnamese and Japanese differed, and C/A1753 and C1858 variants might play a role in the pathogenesis of liver disease in Vietnamese patients.
authors.affiliation: Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Clinical Molecular Medicine, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: Bui Xuan
authors.initials: BX
authors.lastname: Truong
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Tran Minh
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Phuong
authors.forename: Yasuhito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Hirotaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miki
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Utsumi
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Azuma
authors.forename: Nguyen Khanh
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Trach
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mizokami
authors.forename: Yoshitake
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kasuga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012307:Risk Factors; D014744:Vietnam / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens