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Bhatti TK, Singal AK, Kwo PY. Viral Hepatitis and Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure. Clin Liver Dis 2023; 27:617-630. [PMID: 37380286 DOI: 10.1016/j.cld.2023.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a potentially reversible syndrome that develops in patients with cirrhosis or with underlying chronic liver disease (CLD) and is characterized by acute decompensation, organ failure, and high short-term mortality. Hepatitis A and hepatitis E are major causes of ACLF. Hepatitis B may also cause ACLF through a flare of hepatitis B, acute infection, or reactivation. Besides supportive care, nucleoside/nucleotide analog therapy should also be initiated in this setting. Nonhepatotropic viruses may rarely also cause ACLF with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus recently being identified with poorer outcomes in those with underlying CLD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ashwani K Singal
- University of SD Sanford School of Medicine, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
| | - Paul Y Kwo
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
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2
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Jiang X, Chang L, Yan Y, Wang L. Paradoxical HBsAg and anti-HBs coexistence among Chronic HBV Infections: Causes and Consequences. Int J Biol Sci 2021; 17:1125-1137. [PMID: 33867835 PMCID: PMC8040313 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.55724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and Hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) were reported simultaneously among Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections. HBsAg is a specific indicator of acute or chronic HBV infections, while anti-HBs is a protective antibody reflecting the recovery and immunity of hosts. HBsAg and anti-HBs coexist during seroconversion and then form immune complex, which is rare detected in clinical cases. However, with the promotion of vaccination and the application of various antiviral drugs, along with the rapid development of medical technology, the coexistence of HBsAg and anti-HBs has become more prevalent. Mutations in the viral genomes, immune status and genetic factors of hosts may contribute to the coexistence. Novel HBsAg assays, with higher sensitivity and ability to detect mutations or immune complexes, can also yield HBsAg/anti-HBs coexistence. The discovery of coexistence has shattered the idea of traditional serological patterns and raised questions about the effectiveness of vaccines. Worth noting is that HBsAg/anti-HBs double positivity is strongly associated with progressive liver diseases, especially hepatocellular carcinoma. In conclusion, viral mutations, host factors, and methodology impacts can all lead to the coexistence of HBsAg and anti-HBs. This coexistence is not an indicator of improvement, as an increased risk of adverse clinical outcomes still exists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Jiang
- National Center for Clinical Laboratories, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology; Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China.,Beijing Engineering Research Center of Laboratory Medicine, Beijing Hospital, P.R. China.,Graduate School, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Le Chang
- National Center for Clinical Laboratories, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology; Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China.,Beijing Engineering Research Center of Laboratory Medicine, Beijing Hospital, P.R. China.,Graduate School, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Ying Yan
- National Center for Clinical Laboratories, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology; Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China.,Beijing Engineering Research Center of Laboratory Medicine, Beijing Hospital, P.R. China.,Graduate School, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Lunan Wang
- National Center for Clinical Laboratories, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology; Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China.,Beijing Engineering Research Center of Laboratory Medicine, Beijing Hospital, P.R. China.,Graduate School, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
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3
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Li Q, Wang J, Lu M, Qiu Y, Lu H. Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure From Chronic-Hepatitis-B, Who Is the Behind Scenes. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:583423. [PMID: 33365018 PMCID: PMC7750191 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.583423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is an acute syndrome accompanied with decompensation of cirrhosis, organ failure with high 28-day mortality rate. Systemic inflammation is the main feature of ACLF, and poor outcome is closely related with exacerbated systemic inflammatory responses. It is well known that severe systemic inflammation is an important event in chronic hepatitis B (CHB)-ACLF, which eventually leads to liver injury. However, the initial CHB-ACLF events are unclear; moreover, the effect of these events on host immunity as well as that of immune imbalance on CHB-ACLF progression are unknown. Here, we investigate the initial events of ACLF progression, discuss possible mechanisms underlying ACLF progression, and provide a new model for ACLF prediction and treatment. We review the characteristics of ACLF, and consider its plausible immune predictors and alternative treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Wang
- Center of Clinical Laboratory, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Mengji Lu
- Institute of Virology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Yuanwang Qiu
- Department of Hepatology, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Hongzhou Lu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China
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4
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Trinks J, Marciano S, Esposito I, Franco A, Mascardi MF, Mendizabal M, Livellara B, Arrigo D, Calzetta P, Vujacich C, Giunta D, Gadano A, Flichman D. The genetic variability of hepatitis B virus subgenotype F1b precore/core gene is related to the outcome of the acute infection. Virus Res 2019; 277:197840. [PMID: 31846615 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2019.197840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
AIM To assess the association of viral and host genetic variability with the outcome of acute infection with hepatitis B virus subgenotype F1b (HBV/F1b). METHODS The cohort consisted of 26 patients with acute HBV/F1b infection who exhibit different outcomes: spontaneous resolution (n = 10), progression to chronic hepatitis (n = 10) and acute liver failure (n = 6). HLA SNPs (rs3077, rs9277542, rs2856718 and rs7453920) were determined. The S gene and core promoter/precore/core region were direct sequenced, and this latter region was also ultra-deep sequenced. Mean number of mutations, mutation rate, Shannon entropy, positive selection sites and mutational patterns of quasispecies were compared between groups. RESULTS HLA SNPs were associated with spontaneous resolution or progression to chronic hepatitis, but not with the development of acute liver failure. The mean number of mutations in the S gene was similar among the three groups. Patients with spontaneous resolution had the lowest number of mutations, mutation rates and Shannon entropy values in the precore/core compared to the other two groups. Ten positive selection sites mapped on HLA-restricted epitopes were related to progression to chronic hepatitis and acute liver failure. Mutations T1753C, A1762T, G1764A, C1766T, T1768A G1896A, G2092T and T2107C were associated with acute liver failure and progression to chronic hepatitis. CONCLUSION Highly heterogeneous and complex HBV precore/core carrying specific point mutations, combined with the host HLA background, were associated with a worse clinical outcome of acute HBV/F1b infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julieta Trinks
- Instituto de Medicina Traslacional e Ingeniería Biomédica (IMTIB) - CONICET - Instituto Universitario del Hospital Italiano (IUHI) - Hospital Italiano (HIBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Sebastián Marciano
- Sección de Hepatología, Servicio de Clínica Médica, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Departamento de Investigación, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Isabella Esposito
- Instituto de Medicina Traslacional e Ingeniería Biomédica (IMTIB) - CONICET - Instituto Universitario del Hospital Italiano (IUHI) - Hospital Italiano (HIBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandra Franco
- Instituto de Medicina Traslacional e Ingeniería Biomédica (IMTIB) - CONICET - Instituto Universitario del Hospital Italiano (IUHI) - Hospital Italiano (HIBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Maria Florencia Mascardi
- Instituto de Medicina Traslacional e Ingeniería Biomédica (IMTIB) - CONICET - Instituto Universitario del Hospital Italiano (IUHI) - Hospital Italiano (HIBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Manuel Mendizabal
- Unidad de Hígado y Trasplante Hepático, Hospital Universitario Austral, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Beatriz Livellara
- Laboratorio Central, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Diego Arrigo
- Laboratorio Central, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Pablo Calzetta
- División de Gastroenterología, Hospital Juan A. Fernández, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Claudia Vujacich
- Fundación Centro de Estudios Infectológicos (FUNCEI), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Diego Giunta
- Departamento de Investigación, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Área de Investigación de Medicina Interna, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Adrián Gadano
- Instituto de Medicina Traslacional e Ingeniería Biomédica (IMTIB) - CONICET - Instituto Universitario del Hospital Italiano (IUHI) - Hospital Italiano (HIBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Sección de Hepatología, Servicio de Clínica Médica, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Departamento de Investigación, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Diego Flichman
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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5
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Zhao RH, Shi Y, Zhao H, Wu W, Sheng JF. Acute-on-chronic liver failure in chronic hepatitis B: an update. Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2018; 12:341-350. [PMID: 29334786 DOI: 10.1080/17474124.2018.1426459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Acute-on-chronic liver failure is a common pattern of end-stage liver disease in clinical practice and occurs frequently in patients with chronic hepatitis B or HBV-related cirrhosis. New progress in recent years leads to a better understanding of this disease. Areas covered: This review updates the current comprehensive knowledge about HBV-ACLF from epidemiological studies, experimental studies, and clinical studies and provide new insights into the definition, diagnostic criteria, epidemiology, nature history, pathogenesis, treatment and prognostication of HBV-ACLF. Expert commentary: Patients with chronic hepatitis B or HBV-related cirrhosis are at risk of developing acute-on-chronic liver failure, with multi-organ failure and high short-term mortality. The precipitating events can be intra-hepatic or extra-hepatic and the underlying chronic liver injury can be cirrhotic or non-cirrhotic. Host and viral factors contribute to the susceptibility of developing HBV-ACLF. Systemic inflammation is the driver of HBV-ACLF, which can be attributed to non-sterile and sterile factors. Liver transplantation is the definitive treatment for HBV-ACLF. Cell therapy is a promising alternative to LT, but requires validation and still has concern of long-term safety. Other medical therapies, such as nucleoside analogue, artificial liver supporting and glucocorticoid may improve survival in a specific subgroup. New scoring systems improve the accuracy of prognostication in HBV-ACLF, which is critical for early identification of candidates for LT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui-Hong Zhao
- a Department of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou , China
| | - Yu Shi
- a Department of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou , China
| | - Hong Zhao
- a Department of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou , China
| | - Wei Wu
- a Department of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou , China
| | - Ji-Fang Sheng
- a Department of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou , China
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6
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Zhou TC, Li X, Li L, Li XF, Zhang L, Wei J. Evolution of full-length genomes of HBV quasispecies in sera of patients with a coexistence of HBsAg and anti-HBs antibodies. Sci Rep 2017; 7:661. [PMID: 28386078 PMCID: PMC5428874 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-00694-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the evolutionary changes of viral quasispecies are correlated to the pathological status of a disease, little is known in the coexistence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibodies to these antigens (anti-HBs). To examine evolutionary changes in hepatitis B virus (HBV) and their relationship to the coexistence of HBsAg and anti-HBs antibodies, HBV genomes in patients with a coexistence of HBsAg and anti-HBs antibodies (experimental group) and HBsAg positive without anti-HBs (control group) were assessed. Our results showed that quasispecies diversity was significantly higher in the experimental group for large HBsAg (LHBsAg), middle HBsAg (MHBsAg), and HBsAg genes. LHBsAg harbored dN/dS values eight times higher in the experimental group; however, the mean dN/dS ratios in genes HbxAg, Pol and PreC/C of the experimental patients had an opposite trend. Phylogenetic trees in the experimental group were more complex than the control group. More positive selection sites, mutations and deletions were observed in the experimental group in specific regions. Furthermore, several amino acid variants in epitopes were potentially associated with the immune evasion. In conclusion, cumulative evolutionary changes in HBV genome that facilitate immune evasion provide insights into the genetic mechanism of a coexistence of HBsAg and anti-HBs antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tai-Cheng Zhou
- Central lab, Liver disease research center, the second people's hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China
| | - Xiao Li
- Central lab, Liver disease research center, the second people's hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China
| | - Long Li
- Central lab, Liver disease research center, the second people's hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China
| | - Xiao-Fei Li
- Clinical laboratory, the third people's hospital of Kunming City, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China
| | - Liang Zhang
- Central lab, Liver disease research center, the second people's hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China.
| | - Jia Wei
- Central lab, Liver disease research center, the second people's hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China.
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7
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Soleimani F, Arabzadeh SAM, Mollaei H, Iranmanesh Z, Nikpour N, Motahar M. Evaluation of the frequency of precore/core mutation in patients with chronic hepatitis B, Kerman, Southeast of Iran. ASIAN PACIFIC JOURNAL OF TROPICAL DISEASE 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/s2222-1808(16)61093-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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8
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Chen EQ, Zeng F, Zhou LY, Tang H. Early warning and clinical outcome prediction of acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure. World J Gastroenterol 2015; 21:11964-11973. [PMID: 26576085 PMCID: PMC4641118 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i42.11964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2015] [Revised: 07/29/2015] [Accepted: 09/14/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) associated acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is an increasingly recognized fatal liver disease encompassing a severe acute exacerbation of liver function in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Despite the introduction of an artificial liver support system and antiviral therapy, the short-term prognosis of HBV-ACLF is still extremely poor unless emergency liver transplantation is performed. In such a situation, stopping or slowing the progression of CHB to ACLF at an early stage is the most effective way of reducing the morbidity and mortality of HBV-ACLF. It is well-known that the occurrence and progression of HBV-ACLF is associated with many factors, and the outcomes of HBV-ACLF patients can be significantly improved if timely and appropriate interventions are provided. In this review, we highlight recent developments in early warning and clinical outcome prediction in patients with HBV-ACLF and provide an outlook for future research in this field.
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9
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Increased intrahepatic quasispecies heterogeneity correlates with off-treatment sustained response to nucleos(t)ide analogues in e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B patients. Clin Microbiol Infect 2015; 22:201-207. [PMID: 26493847 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2015.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2015] [Revised: 10/06/2015] [Accepted: 10/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Finite treatment with nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) remains a great challenge for chronic hepatitis B in the clinic. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between intrahepatic quasispecies heterogeneity and the NAs off-treatment outcomes in a prospective cohort. Eighteen HBeAg-positive patients with chronic hepatitis B who achieved the cessation criteria underwent liver biopsy, and stopped treatment thereafter. Patients were followed up prospectively for 1 year. The reverse transcriptase (RT) gene of intrahepatic hepatitis B virus (HBV) was cloned and sequenced. Intrahepatic quasispecies heterogeneity and specific gene mutations were analysed using bioinformatic methods. Ten patients achieved sustained response, and eight patients developed viral relapse. The intrahepatic quasispecies Shannon entropy and nucleotide diversity within either RT or the surface (S) region of patients with sustained response were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those of patients who had a viral relapse. Intrahepatic quasispecies Shannon entropy at the nucleotide level predicted the sustained off-treatment response (area under receiver operating characteristics curve 0.925; 95% CI 0.807-1.000; p 0.003). More positive selection sites and N-glycosylation mutations within the S region were found in patients with sustained response than in the patients with viral relapse (p < 0.01). Most of the positive selection sites in patients with sustained response were located in reported HLA-I-restricted or HLA-II-restricted epitopes. Intrahepatic quasispecies heterogeneity at the end of treatment was correlated with off-treatment outcomes in HBeAg-positive patients with chronic hepatitis B. More immune escape mutations were found within the S region in patients with sustained response. The higher intrahepatic quasispecies heterogeneity indicated a more robust immune control over HBV, which in turn maintained a sustained response after withdrawal of NAs.
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10
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Mina T, Amini-Bavil-Olyaee S, Tacke F, Maes P, Van Ranst M, Pourkarim MR. Genomic Diversity of Hepatitis B Virus Infection Associated With Fulminant Hepatitis B Development. HEPATITIS MONTHLY 2015; 15:e29477. [PMID: 26288637 PMCID: PMC4533131 DOI: 10.5812/hepatmon.29477v2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2015] [Accepted: 05/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT After five decades of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) vaccine discovery, HBV is still a major public health problem. Due to the high genetic diversity of HBV and selective pressure of the host immune system, intra-host evolution of this virus in different clinical manifestations is a hot topic of research. HBV infection causes a range of clinical manifestations from acute to chronic infection, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Among all forms of HBV infection manifestations, fulminant hepatitis B infection possesses the highest fatality rate. Almost 1% of the acutely infected patients develop fulminant hepatitis B, in which the mortality rate is around 70%. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION All published papers deposited in Genbank, on the topic of fulminant hepatitis were reviewed and their virological aspects were investigated. In this review, we highlight the genomic diversity of HBV reported from patients with fulminant HBV infection. RESULTS The most commonly detected diversities affect regulatory motifs of HBV in the core and S region, indicating that these alterations may convert the virus to an aggressive strain. Moreover, mutations at T-cell and B-cell epitopes located in pre-S1 and pre-S2 proteins may lead to an immune evasion of the virus, likely favoring a more severe clinical course of infection. Furthermore, point and frame shift mutations in the core region increase the viral replication of HBV and help virus to evade from immune system and guarantee its persistence. CONCLUSIONS Fulminant hepatitis B is associated with distinct mutational patterns of HBV, underlining that genomic diversity of the virus is an important factor determining its pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Mina
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Samad Amini-Bavil-Olyaee
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Harlyne J. Norris Cancer Research Tower, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Frank Tacke
- Department of Medicine III, RWTH-University Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Piet Maes
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marc Van Ranst
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mahmoud Reza Pourkarim
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Blood Transfusion Research Centre, High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine, Tehran, IR Iran
- Corresponding Author: Mahmoud Reza Pourkarim, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, P. O. Box: BE-3000, Leuven, Belgium. Tel: +32-16332145, Fax: +32-16332141, E-mail:
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11
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Characterization of Full-Length Genomes of Hepatitis B Virus Quasispecies in Sera of Patients at Different Phases of Infection. J Clin Microbiol 2015; 53:2203-14. [PMID: 25926495 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00068-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2015] [Accepted: 04/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection results in different clinical presentation due to different levels of immune response. Our study aimed to characterize HBV full-length genome quasispecies (QS) in patients with different phases of infection to better understand its pathogenesis. Forty treatment-naive HBV-infected patients were enrolled, including 10 cases of acute hepatitis B (AHB), 9 cases of immunotolerant (IT) HBV carriers, 11 cases of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and 10 cases of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). The present study was conducted by clone-based sequencing. QS heterogeneity within each open reading frame was calculated. The mutation frequency index (MFI) and amino acid variations within the large HBsAg, HBcAg, and HBxAg regions were analyzed based on the different infection phases. In total, 606 HBV full-length sequences were obtained. HBV QS had higher heterogeneity in ACLF and CHB than that in IT among chronically infected individuals. AHB patients had the lower QS heterogeneity at onset than those with chronic infection. ACLF patients had the highest frequency of mutations in the core promoter and precore region. A triple mutation (A1762T/G1764A/G1896A) was observed more frequently in genotype C than in genotype B. The MFI indicated that specific peptides of the studied regions had more frequent mutations in ACLF. Furthermore, several amino acid variations, known as T- and B-cell epitopes, were potentially associated with the immunoactive phase of infection. More HBV genome mutations and deletions were observed in patients with more severe diseases, particularly in specific regions of the core and preS regions, the clinical significance and mechanism of which need to be further investigated.
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12
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Coffin CS, Osiowy C, Gao S, Nishikawa S, van der Meer F, van Marle G. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) variants fluctuate in paired plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells among patient cohorts during different chronic hepatitis B (CHB) disease phases. J Viral Hepat 2015; 22:416-26. [PMID: 25203736 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.12308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus is classically considered a hepatotropic virus but also infects peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Chronic hepatitis B has different disease phases modulated by host immunity. We compared HBV variability, drug resistance and immune escape mutations in the overlapping HBV polymerase/surface gene in plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells in different disease phases. Plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from 22 treatment naïve patient cohorts (five inactive, six immune-active, nine HBeAg negative and two immune-tolerant). HBV was genotyped via line probe assay, hepatitis B surface antigen titres were determined by an in-house immunoassay, and HBV DNA was quantified by kinetic PCR. The HBV polymerase/surface region, including full genome in some, was PCR-amplified and cloned, and ~20 clones/sample were sequenced. The sequences were subjected to various mutational and phylogenetic analyses. Clonal sequencing showed that only three of 22 patients had identical HBV genotype profiles in both sites. In immune-active chronic hepatitis B, viral diversity in plasma was higher compared with peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Mutations at residues, in a minority of clones, associated with drug resistance, and/or immune escape were found in both compartments but were more common in plasma. Immune escape mutations were more often observed in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of immune-active CHB carriers, compared with other disease phases. During all CHB disease phases, differences exist between HBV variants found in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and plasma. Moreover, these data indicate that HBV evolution occurs in a compartment and disease phase-specific fashion.
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Affiliation(s)
- C S Coffin
- Liver Unit, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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13
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Yano Y, Azuma T, Hayashi Y. Variations and mutations in the hepatitis B virus genome and their associations with clinical characteristics. World J Hepatol 2015; 7:583-92. [PMID: 25848482 PMCID: PMC4381181 DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v7.i3.583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2014] [Revised: 11/27/2014] [Accepted: 12/29/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is major global issue, because chronic HBV infection is strongly associated with liver cancer. HBV spread worldwide with various mutations and variations. This variability, called quasispecies, is derived from no proof-reading capacity of viral reverse transcriptase. So far, thousands of studies reported that the variety of genome is closely related to the geographic distribution and clinical characteristics. Recent technological advances including capillary sequencer and next generation sequencer have made in easier to analyze mutations. The variety of HBV genome is related to not only antigenicity of HBs-antigen but also resistance to antiviral therapies. Understanding of these variations is important for the development of diagnostic tools and the appropriate therapy for chronic hepatitis B. In this review, recent publications in relation to HBV mutations and variations are updated and summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihiko Yano
- Yoshihiko Yano, Takeshi Azuma, Department of Gastroenterology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kusunoki-cho, Kobe 650-0017, Japan
| | - Takeshi Azuma
- Yoshihiko Yano, Takeshi Azuma, Department of Gastroenterology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kusunoki-cho, Kobe 650-0017, Japan
| | - Yoshitake Hayashi
- Yoshihiko Yano, Takeshi Azuma, Department of Gastroenterology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kusunoki-cho, Kobe 650-0017, Japan
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Coexistence of hepatitis B virus quasispecies enhances viral replication and the ability to induce host antibody and cellular immune responses. J Virol 2014; 88:8656-66. [PMID: 24850745 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01123-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Hepatitis B virus (HBV) quasispecies contain a large number of variants that serve as a reservoir for viral selection under antiviral treatment and the immune response, leading to the acute exacerbation and subsequent development of liver failure. However, there is no clear experimental evidence for a significant role of HBV quasispecies in viral pathogenesis. In the present study, HBV sequences were amplified from a patient with severe liver disease and used for construction of HBV replication-competent plasmids. Western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and immunofluorescence staining were performed to analyze the expression, secretion, and subcellular localization of viral proteins in vitro. Viral replication intermediates were detected by Southern blotting. HBV gene expression and replication and the induction of specific immune responses in an HBV hydrodynamic injection (HI) mouse model were investigated. The results demonstrated that two naturally occurring HBV variants, SH and SH-DPS, were identified. The variant SH-DPS expressed only a nonexportable hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) with abnormal intracellular accumulation. The coexistence of the HBV variants at a ratio of 1 to 4 (SH to SH-DPS) increased HBV replication. Significantly stronger intrahepatic cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses and antibody responses specific to HBsAg were induced in mice by the HBV variants when coapplied by HI. These findings uncovered an unexpected aspect of HBV quasispecies: the coexistence of different variants can significantly modulate specific host immune responses, representing a novel mechanism for the immunopathogenesis of HBV infection. IMPORTANCE Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is an important human pathogen. HBV quasispecies with genetically heterogenous variants are thought to play a role in the progression of HBV-associated liver diseases. So far, direct evidence is available in only a few cases to confirm the proposed role of HBV variants in the pathogenesis. We report here that the coexistence of two naturally occurring HBV variants at a ratio of 1 to 4 increased HBV replication and induced significantly stronger intrahepatic cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses and antibody responses specific to HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) in mice. Our discovery uncovered an unexpected aspect of HBV quasispecies: the coexistence of different variants can significantly modulate specific host immune responses and may enhance immune-mediated liver damage under some circumstances, representing a novel mechanism for the immunopathogenesis of HBV infection.
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Shen T, Yan XM. Hepatitis B virus genetic mutations and evolution in liver diseases. World J Gastroenterol 2014; 20:5435-41. [PMID: 24833874 PMCID: PMC4017059 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i18.5435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2013] [Revised: 01/02/2014] [Accepted: 02/16/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) belongs to the genus Orthohepadnavirus of the Hepadnaviridae family and is approximately 3.2 kb in length. Owing to a lack of proofreading capacity during reverse transcription and a high replication rate, HBV exhibits as quasispecies. To detect the genetic mutations of HBV, many methods with different sensitivities and throughputs were developed. According to documentary records, HBV mutation and evolution were important vial parameters in predicting disease progression and therapeutic outcome. In this review, we separately discussed the correlation between HBV genomic mutations in four open reading frames and liver disease progression. Since some of the results were controversial from different laboratories, it remains to be seen whether functional analyses will confirm their role in modifying the course of infection.
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