title: PreS deletion profiles of hepatitis B virus (HBV) are associated with clinical presentations of chronic HBV infection.
abstract: The association of hepatitis B virus (HBV) preS1 and preS2 deletions with progressive liver diseases are not fully understood.
  
  
  
  The study aimed to investigate characteristics of HBV preS deletion in HBV-infected patients with different illness categories.
  
  
  
  Total of 539 HBV-infected patients were enrolled in the study, including 146 with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 111 with HBV-related liver cirrhosis (LC), 146 with HBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), and 136 with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). PreS deletion was determined by sequencing. Replicons containing representative preS1 and preS2 deletion mutants and wild-type were respectively constructed and transfected into HepG2 cells for phenotypic analysis.
  
  
  
  The detection rates of overall preS deletion were 15.8%, 26.1%, 24.0%, and 34.6% in CHB, LC, ACLF, and HCC patients, respectively. PreS1 deletion was most frequently detected in LC patients while preS2 deletion was most frequently detected in HCC patients, both frequencies were significantly higher than that in CHB patients (17.1% vs. 4.8%, P<0.01; 19.1% vs. 4.8%, P<0.01). The deletion patterns across preS gene were different among the 4 illness categories. Compared with wild-type strain, the preS1 deletion mutant had defected preS1 expression, significantly decreased viral mRNA level and SP II promoter activity; while preS2 deletion mutant had defected preS2 expression, and significantly decreased viral mRNA level.
  
  
  
  HBV preS deletion was associated with advancement of liver diseases not only presented in preS deletion incidence, but also in the deletion pattern. Patients with preS2 deletion might have a higher risk to develop HCC.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Clinical and Translational Medicine, Beijing 302 Hospital, Beijing 100039, China.
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Clinical and Translational Medicine, Beijing 302 Hospital, Beijing 100039, China.
authors.forename: Yaqun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Clinical and Translational Medicine, Beijing 302 Hospital, Beijing 100039, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: The Second Liver Cirrhosis Medical Center, Beijing 302 Hospital, Beijing 100039, China.
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Clinical and Translational Medicine, Beijing 302 Hospital, Beijing 100039, China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Clinical and Translational Medicine, Beijing 302 Hospital, Beijing 100039, China.
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Clinical and Translational Medicine, Beijing 302 Hospital, Beijing 100039, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Clinical and Translational Medicine, Beijing 302 Hospital, Beijing 100039, China. Electronic address: xudongping302@sina.com.
authors.forename: Dongping
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Medical Department, Beijing 302 Hospital, Beijing 100039, China. Electronic address: lijin302@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D065290:Acute-On-Chronic Liver Failure / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics*; D017384:Sequence Deletion
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D011498:Protein Precursors; C050806:presurface protein 1, hepatitis B surface antigen; C050807:presurface protein 2, hepatitis B surface antigen
keywords: Acute-on-chronic liver failure; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Liver cirrhosis; PreS deletion