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Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Modeling Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Non-Hepatic 293T-NE-3NRs Cells
Published on: June 5, 2020
Replication and infectivity of hepatitis B virus in HBV-related glomerulonephritis
Lizhang Chen1, Chengqiu Wu, Xuegong Fan
1School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Objective:
To examine the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg), and hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in renal tissues from patients with HBV-related glomerulonephritis.
Methods:
Renal tissue biopsies taken from patients with HBV-related glomerulonephritis and two control groups were prepared for immunocytochemical detection of HBsAg and HBcAg. HBV cccDNA was examined using a nested PCR.
Results:
Of the 63 HBV-related glomerulonephritis patients studied, HBsAg was present in the renal tissues of 48 (76.2%) and HBcAg in the renal tissues of 27 (42.9%). The HBsAg and HBcAg positive rates in HBV-related glomerulonephritis patients were higher than those of the 20 patients with non-HBV-related glomerulonephritis (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference when the HBV-related glomerulonephritis patients were compared with 12 patients with renal tuberculosis, renal atrophy, renal calculus, and renal tumor with positive serum HBV markers. In patients with HBV-related glomerulonephritis, there was no significant difference in HBsAg and HBcAg positive rates in renal tissue between patients with and without serum hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg). By nested PCR, two of five patients with HBV-related glomerulonephritis were positive for HBV cccDNA.
Conclusion:
The location and replication of HBV in renal tissue make the kidney a potential reservoir for HBV. HBV cccDNA may be key in the search for anti-HBV drugs.
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