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Detection of Low Copy Number Integrated Viral DNA Formed by In Vitro Hepatitis B Infection
Published on: November 7, 2018
Mutations of pre-core and basal core promoter before and after hepatitis B e antigen seroconversion
Nozomi Kamijo1, Akihiro Matsumoto1, Takeji Umemura1
1Nozomi Kamijo, Akihiro Matsumoto, Takeji Umemura, Soichiro Shibata, Yuki Ichikawa, Takefumi Kimura, Michiharu Komatsu, Eiji Tanaka, Department of Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan.
Aim:
To investigate the role of pre-core and basal core promoter (BCP) mutations before and after hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion.
Methods:
The proportion of pre-core (G1896A) and basal core promoter (A1762T and G1764A) mutant viruses and serum levels of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and HB core-related antigen were analyzed in chronic hepatitis B patients before and after HBeAg seroconversion (n = 25), in those who were persistently HBeAg positive (n = 18), and in those who were persistently anti-HBe positive (n = 43). All patients were infected with HBV genotype C and were followed for a median of 9 years.
Results:
Although the pre-core mutant became predominant (24% to 65%, P = 0.022) in the HBeAg seroconversion group during follow-up, the proportion of the basal core promoter mutation did not change. Median HBV viral markers were significantly higher in patients without the mutations in an HBeAg positive status (HBV DNA: P = 0.003; HBsAg: P < 0.001; HB core-related antigen: P = 0.001). In contrast, HBV DNA (P = 0.012) and HBsAg (P = 0.041) levels were significantly higher in patients with the pre-core mutation in an anti-HBe positive status.
Conclusion:
There is an opposite association of the pre-core mutation with viral load before and after HBeAg seroconversion in patients with HBV infection.
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