title: Genetic variation of hepatitis B virus and its significance for pathogenesis.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has a worldwide distribution and is endemic in many populations. Due to its unique life cycle which requires an error-prone reverse transcriptase for replication, it constantly evolves, resulting in tremendous genetic variation in the form of genotypes, sub-genotypes, and mutations. In recent years, there has been considerable research on the relationship between HBV genetic variation and HBV-related pathogenesis, which has profound implications in the natural history of HBV infection, viral detection, immune prevention, drug treatment and prognosis. In this review, we attempted to provide a brief account of the influence of HBV genotype on the pathogenesis of HBV infection and summarize our current knowledge on the effects of HBV mutations in different regions on HBV-associated pathogenesis, with an emphasis on mutations in the preS/S proteins in immune evasion, occult HBV infection and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), mutations in polymerase in relation to drug resistance, mutations in HBV core and e antigen in immune evasion, chronicalization of infection and hepatitis B-related acute-on-chronic liver failure, and finally mutations in HBV x proteins in HCC.
authors.affiliation: Zhen-Hua Zhang, Xu Li, Department of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhen-Hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Zhen-Hua Zhang, Xu Li, Department of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Chun-Chen
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Zhen-Hua Zhang, Xu Li, Department of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Xin-Wen
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Zhen-Hua Zhang, Xu Li, Department of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Zhen-Hua Zhang, Xu Li, Department of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Zhen-Hua Zhang, Xu Li, Department of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Meng-Ji
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016679:Genome, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D009154:Mutation; D012008:Recurrence; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014764:Viral Proteins
keywords: Genotype; Hepatitis B virus; Pathogenesis; Variation