Mutation analyses of integrated HBV genome in hepatitis B patients

Little has been learnt in the last 30 years about detection of HBV genome as well as its mutation analysis between hepatitis B fathers (HBF) and their children. In this study, we used nest polymerase chain reaction (PCR), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and DNA sequencing analysis, to examine the integrated HBV genome in paraffin-embedded testis tissues, which were taken as samples from HBF, and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 74 cases of HBFs and their children who were born after their fathers' HBV infection (caHBF). We found that HBV DNA existed in testis tissues, mainly in the basilar parts of the seminiferous tubules, and also in PBMC of HBF. It was also documented that there were point mutations of poly-loci, insertions and deletions of nucleotides in integrated HBV genomes, and the types of gene mutations in the HBFs were similar to those in caHBF. This study addresses the major types of gene mutations in integrated HBV genome in human patients and also presents reliable evidence of possible genetic transmission of hepatitis B.