title: Hepatitis B virus basal core promoter mutations A1762T/G1764A are associated with genotype C and a low serum HBsAg level in chronically-infected HBeAg-positive Chinese patients.
abstract: The present study was aimed to obtain baseline information of basal core promoter A1762T/G1764A and precore G1896A mutations of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in 192 HBeAg-positive chronically-infected Chinese patients, who were potential candidates for antiviral treatment. The detection of these mutations (including minor mutant subpopulations) was achieved by direct sequencing, whose sensitivity for minor mutant subpopulations identification was confirmed by clone sequencing. Patients enrolled were infected with either genotype B (46.35%) or C (53.65%) HBV identified by routine tests in our laboratory. The A1762T/G1764A or G1896A mutations were detected in 125specimens (125/192, 65.10%), in which 77 (77/125, 61.60%) existed as subpopulations. The A1762T/G1764A mutations were found to be more prevalent in genotype C than that in genotype B HBV [62.14% (64/103) vs. 20.22% (18/89), P<0.0001]. There is no statistically significant link between G1896A and genotypes. The emergence of A1762T/G1764A mutations was also found to be associated with an older age, an elevated ALT/AST level, and a lower HBsAg level in serum [wild-type vs. mutant: 4.57 (3.46-5.42) vs. 3.93 (2.51-5.36), P<0.0001]. In conclusion, HBV basal core promoter mutations A1762T/G1764A are associated with genotype C and a low serum HBsAg level in chronically-infected HBeAg-positive Chinese patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100191, PR China.
authors.forename: Chun-Hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Cheng-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Hai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Ya-Qin
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Peng-Yuan
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.forename: Tong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D002681:China; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017354:Point Mutation; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase