title: Prevalence of Genotype D and Precore/Core Promoter Mutations in Hepatitis B Virus-infected Population of North India.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) isolates (21) from Punjab (North India) were studied for genotype distribution and precore/core promoter mutations. Assays of alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) and HBeAg were performed in all isolates. Genotypes were determined in all the samples by restriction fragment length polymorphism and the precore/core promoter mutations were studied by amplification and by direct sequencing of precore/core promoter region. Sixty-two percent of the isolates had higher ALT levels and 57% of the isolates were HBeAg negative. It was observed that 90% of the isolates were HBV D genotype (subgenotype D1 and D2) and 10% of the isolates were HBV A genotype (subgenotype A1). Amplification and sequencing of the precore/core promoter region showed 1762(A-T) and 1764(G-A) mutations in 29% and 19% of the isolates, respectively. 1809(C/T) mutation was observed in 71% of the isolates under study. Novel precore and core promoter mutations like 1690(A), 1695(A/T/G), 1700(A/C), 1703(c), 1850(A) and 1915(A/G) were observed in HBV-infected population of the state of Punjab (North India). Deletion and insertional mutations were also observed in some patients. (J CLIN EXP HEPATOL 2011;1:73-76).
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra - 136119, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra - 136119, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Vikas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pahal
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra - 136119, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Jasbir
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Singh
keywords: ALT, alanine aminotransaminase; BCP, basal core promo-tor; BQW, best quality water; EnhII, enhancer II region; HBV, hepatitis B virus; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; HCV, hepatitis C virus; Hepatitis B virus; ORF, open reading frames; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; genotypes; mutations