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Distinct patterns of serum hepatitis B core-related antigen during the natural history of chronic hepatitis B

Zhan-Qing Zhang1, Xiao-Nan Zhang2, Wei Lu3

  • 1Department of Hepatology, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Caolang Road 2901, Shanghai, 201508, China. doctorzzqsphc@163.com.

BMC Gastroenterology
|December 6, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg) levels correlate with disease phases in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. HBcrAg monitoring offers utility in refining antiviral therapy for CHB.

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology and virology research.
  • Biomarker discovery and validation.

Background:

  • Current chronic hepatitis B (CHB) management needs improved on-treatment monitoring.
  • Quantifying hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and core-related antigen (HBcrAg) shows therapeutic potential.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize HBcrAg levels during the natural course of CHB.
  • To evaluate HBcrAg as a monitoring tool for CHB therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study of 444 treatment-naïve CHB patients with liver histology.
  • Quantification of HBV DNA, HBsAg, HBeAg, and HBcrAg.
  • Analysis of antigen titres across four clinical phases and correlation with liver markers.

Main Results:

  • HBcrAg showed a high correlation with HBV DNA, similar to HBsAg.
  • HBcrAg had a significant linear relationship with HBeAg titre in immune tolerant (IT) and immune clearance (IC) phases.
  • HBV DNA was the main determinant of HBcrAg in the HBeAg-negative hepatitis (ENH) phase; intrahepatic HBcAg correlated with serum HBcrAg.

Conclusions:

  • HBcrAg titre profiles are distinct and phase-specific in CHB.
  • HBcrAg levels correlate with intrahepatic core antigen expression.
  • HBcrAg is a valuable biomarker for monitoring and optimizing CHB antiviral therapy.
Abstract

Keywords:
HBVHBcrAgHBsAg

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