title: Molecular analysis of the hepatitis B virus presurface and surface gene in patients from eastern China with occult hepatitis B.
abstract: This study was designed to detect and analyze mutations that occur within the presurface and surface (pre-S/S) gene of HBV in patients with occult hepatitis B, and determine their relationship to that disorder. Among 254 HBsAg negative samples of blood collected in eastern China, 183 were positive for anti-HBc alone, 61 were positive for anti-HBe alone, and 10 samples were positive for HBeAg. Within this group, 15 samples were found to be HBV DNA positive by real-time PCR and were designated Group I. A control group of 28 HBsAg positive samples were chosen at random from patients with chronic hepatitis B and designated Group II. The HBV pre-S/S gene was amplified by PCR and subjected to sequencing analysis. Occult hepatitis B was found in 1.6% of the patients with anti-HBc alone and in 3.3% of those with anti-HBe alone. Occult hepatitis B also was found in all HBsAg negative but HBeAg positive samples. Sequencing analysis showed a significant correlation between point mutations within the "a" determinant and occult hepatitis B (P < 0.0001), and a close relationship between pre-S deletion mutations and occult hepatitis B (P = 0.06). There were unique amino acid mutations at the G145 position other than G145R. The HBV DNA levels in patients with occult hepatitis B were significantly lower than those found in the control group. The "a" determinant mutations and pre-S deletions may play important roles in occult hepatitis B by affecting the expression, synthesis and secretion of the S protein and by impeding viral release and replication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Blood Transfusion, The General Hospital of Jinan Command, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Xiangyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yanghua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qingfen
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: F Blaine
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Hollinger
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017354:Point Mutation; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins