title: X gene mutations in hepatitis B patients with cirrhosis, with and without hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Specific mutations in the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome have been reported to be associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The goal of this study was to determine whether mutations in the HBV X gene are associated with the development of HCC in hepatitis B patients with cirrhosis. Forty-two patients infected with HBV genotype C2 with cirrhosis and HCC were compared with 46 patients with cirrhosis but without HCC. X gene mutations were determined by direct sequencing in all patients. The HCC and non-HCC groups were similar with respect to clinical characteristics, and the presence of T1762/A1764, T1653, and V1753 mutations was not significantly different between the two groups (P = 0.068, P = 0.097, P = 0.442, respectively). Only the B1499 mutation was associated significantly with HCC (P = 0.015) (odds ratio: 3.42, 95% CI: 1.24-9.48). In hepatitis Be antigen (HBeAg)-positive patients, advanced age was associated significantly with HCC (P = 0.038), whereas in HBeAg-negative patients, the B1499 mutation was associated more significantly with HCC (P = 0.01). Patients in the B1499 mutation group exhibited significantly higher AST and ALT levels compared with patients infected the wild-type virus. In conclusion, B1499 is a novel mutation associated with HCC in Korean patients with cirrhosis infected with HBV genotype C2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Wonkwang University College of Medicine, Iksan, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Soo
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Eun Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Raekil
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Se-Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji-Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Haak Cheoul
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020125:Mutation, Missense; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics*; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D015534:Trans-Activators; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; C057628:hepatitis B virus X protein