[Establishment of microarray for detecting mutation in HBV pre-core/core and basic core promoter regions].

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Molecular Virology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections are a major global health concern.
• Mutations in HBV pre-core/core and basic core promoter regions are clinically significant.
• Accurate detection of these mutations is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a sensitive and specific DNA microarray for detecting HBV mutations.
• To evaluate the clinical utility of the developed microarray.

Main Methods:

• Design and immobilization of site-specific oligonucleotide probes on microarray slides.
• Amplification of HBV gene fragments using asymmetrical PCR with biotin-labeled primers.
• Hybridization of amplified fragments to microarray and detection of mutations in 138 clinical serum samples.

Main Results:

• The microarray successfully detected mutations in HBV pre-core/core and basic core promoter regions with a sensitivity of 1 x 10(1) copies/microl.
• Specific mutations (T1762/A1764, C1814, A1896) were identified in clinical samples.
• A significantly higher A1896 mutation rate was observed in patients with high HBV-DNA load (P < 0.01).

Conclusions:

• A DNA microarray assay for detecting HBV pre-core/core and basic core promoter mutations was successfully established.
• The A1896 mutation may be involved in HBV duplication.
• The developed microarray offers a valuable tool for clinical diagnosis and research.