title: Variability of the S gene of hepatitis B virus in southeastern China.
abstract: In a study of 315 HBV specimens obtained from southern China, 240 (76.9%) were assigned to genotype B, 72 (22.9%) were genotype C, two (0.6%) were genotype A and one (0.3%) was genotype D. Statistical analysis revealed that variables such as age, gender, HBV vaccination rate, hepatitis anamnesis rate, anti-HBs and HBeAg prevalence and virus load were insignificant between genotype B (n = 240) and genotype C cases (n = 72) (P > 0.05). However, the frequency of amino acid (aa) substitutions in the major hydrophilic region (MHR; aa 99-169) and the putative HLA class I-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitope region of the S gene, as well as the overlapping polymerase/RT region (aa 32-212), were significantly higher in genotype C group than genotype B (P < 0.001). These results suggest that the higher variability within genotype C carriers may account for the pathogenic potential.
authors.affiliation: Xiamen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shen-guang Road 681-685, Xiamen 361021, China. niujianjun365@gmail.com
authors.forename: Jianjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: Shuizhen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Chenghao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Quan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Qingrui
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jiguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ningshao
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Xia
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000821:virology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D014764:Viral Proteins; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase