title: Evolution of hepatitis B virus surface gene and protein among Iranian chronic carriers from different provinces.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Iranian chronic HBV carrier's population has shown a unique pattern of genotype D distribution all around the country. The aim of this study was to explore more details of evolutionary history of carriers based on structural surface proteins from different provinces.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sera obtained from 360 isolates from 12 Different regions of country were used for amplification and sequencing of surface proteins. A detailed mutational analysis was undertaken.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total ratio for Missense/Silent nucleotide substitutions was 0.96. Sistan and Kermanshah showed the lowest rate of evolution between provinces (P = 0.055). On the other hand, Khorasan Razavi and Khoozestan contained the highest ratio (P = 0.055). The rest of regions were laid between these two extremes. Azarbayjan and Guilan showed the highest proportion of immune epitope distribution (91.3% and 96%, respectively). Conversely, Sistan and Tehran harbored the least percentage (66.6% and 68.8%, respectively). Kermanshah province contained only 5.2%, whereas Isfahan had 54.5% of B cell epitope distribution. In terms of T helper epitopes, all provinces showed a somehow homogeneity: 22.58% (Fars) to 46.6% (Khuzestan). On the other hand, distribution of substitutions within the CTL epitopes showed a wide range of variation between 6.6% (Khuzestan) and 63% (Kermanshah).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further to low selection pressure found in Iranian population, the variations between different regions designate random genetic drift within the surface proteins. These finding would have some applications in terms of specific antiviral regimen, design of more efficient vaccine and public health issues.
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory-Department of Virology-School of Public Health-Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ramezani
authors.affiliation: Middle East Liver Diseases Center (MELD Centers), Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Moayed
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Alavian
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory-Department of Virology-School of Public Health-Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmadreza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sadeghi
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory-Department of Virology-School of Public Health-Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Abolfazl
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khedive
authors.affiliation: Mental health research center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ghalichi
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory-Department of Virology-School of Public Health-Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Norouzi
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory-Department of Virology-School of Public Health-Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karimzadeh
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Malekzadeh
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ghodrat
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Montazeri
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
authors.forename: Azim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nejatizadeh
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.
authors.forename: Masood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ziaee
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Disease, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
authors.forename: Farshid
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abedi
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Behrooz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ataei
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yaran
authors.affiliation: Kermanshah Liver Diseases and Hepatitis Research Center, Kermanshah, Iran.
authors.forename: Babak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sayad
authors.affiliation: Liver and Gastrointestinal Disease Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohamad Hosein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Somi
authors.affiliation: Educational Region of Khozestan Blood Transfusion Organization, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Gholamreza
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sarizadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sanei-Moghaddam
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal & Liver Diseases Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
authors.forename: Fariborz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mansour-Ghanaei
authors.affiliation: Immunology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Houshang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rafatpanah
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Keyvani
authors.affiliation: Gholhack medical laboratory Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ebrahim
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kalantari
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterohepatology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saberfiroozi
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Deputy of Curative Affairs, Budget Administration, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rezaee
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory-Department of Virology-School of Public Health-Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Daram
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory-Department of Virology-School of Public Health-Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahabadi
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory-Department of Virology-School of Public Health-Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Goodarzi
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory-Department of Virology-School of Public Health-Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Vahdat
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Poortahmasebi
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Deputy of Curative Affairs, Budget Administration, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Babak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Geravand
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory-Department of Virology-School of Public Health-Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Azam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khamseh
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory-Department of Virology-School of Public Health-Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Masoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahmoodi
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory-Department of Virology-School of Public Health-Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Mohammad
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jazayeri
keywords: HBsAg; Hepatitis B; Surface Proteins