title: DNA methylation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma and occult HBV infection.
abstract: Recent studies have identified the presence of methylation in the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome and have suggested that it may be an important mechanism regulating transcription and replication of the HBV virus. However, it remains unclear whether this phenomenon is associated with occult hepatitis. Here, we performed a detailed analysis of DNA methylation in the HBV genome in liver samples of patients at different stages of hepatocarcinoma development and in in vitro infected hepatocytes and found discrete CpG sites in the HBV genome that are recurrently hypermethylated in cancer but not in chronic hepatitis tissue.
authors.affiliation: International Agency for Research on Cancer, 150 Cours Albert-Thomas, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Pushpinder
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.forename: Anupam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paliwal
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Durantel
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hainaut
authors.forename: Jean-Yves
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Scoazec
authors.forename: Fabien
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zoulim
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chemin
authors.forename: Zdenko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Herceg
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018899:CpG Islands / Q000235:genetics; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016679:Genome, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000821:virology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral