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Preiss S, Littlejohn M, Angus P, Thompson A, Desmond P, Lewin SR, Sasadeusz J, Matthews G, Dore GJ, Shaw T, Sozzi V, Yuen L, Lau G, Ayres A, Thio C, Avihingsanon A, Ruxrungtham K, Locarnini S, Revill PA. Defective hepatitis B virus DNA is not associated with disease status but is reduced by polymerase mutations associated with drug resistance. Hepatology 2008; 48:741-9. [PMID: 18571815 PMCID: PMC2669111 DOI: 10.1002/hep.22386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Defective hepatitis B virus DNA (dDNA) is reverse-transcribed from spliced hepatitis B virus (HBV) pregenomic messenger RNA (pgRNA) and has been identified in patients with chronic HBV (CH-B). The major 2.2-kb spliced pgRNA encodes a novel HBV gene product, the hepatitis B splice protein (HBSP) via a deletion and frame shift within the polymerase. Although spliced RNA and HBSP expression have been associated with increased HBV DNA levels and liver fibrosis, the role of dDNA in HBV-associated disease is largely undefined. Our aims were to (1) compare the relative proportions of dDNA (% dDNA) in a range of HBV-infected serum samples, including patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/HBV coinfection and HBV-monoinfected persons with differing severities of liver disease, and (2) determine the effect of mutations associated with drug resistance on defective DNA production. Defective DNA was detected in 90% of persons with CH-B. There was no significant difference in the relative abundance of dDNA between the monoinfected and HIV/HBV-coinfected groups. We also found no association between the % dDNA and alanine aminotransferase, hepatitis B e antigen status, HBV DNA levels, fibrosis levels, compensated or decompensated liver cirrhosis, genotype, or drug treatment. However, the % dDNA was significantly lower in individuals infected with lamivudine-resistant (LMV-R) HBV compared with wild-type HBV (P < 0.0001), indicating that antiviral drug resistance alters the balance between defective and genomic length DNA in circulation. Experiments in vitro using HBV encoding LMV-R mutations confirmed these results. CONCLUSION Our results identified no association between dDNA and parameters associated with disease status and suggested that the relative abundance of dDNA is largely dependent on the integrity of the HBV polymerase and is unrelated to the severity of liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Preiss
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratories, Research and Molecular Development, North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Margaret Littlejohn
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratories, Research and Molecular Development, North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter Angus
- Victorian Liver Transplant Unit, Austin & Repatriation Medical Centre, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Alex Thompson
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratories, Research and Molecular Development, North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia,St. Vincents Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | | | - Joe Sasadeusz
- Royal Melbourne Hospital, VIDS, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Gail Matthews
- National Centre in HIV Epidemiology & Clinical Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Gregory J. Dore
- National Centre in HIV Epidemiology & Clinical Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Tim Shaw
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratories, Research and Molecular Development, North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Vitini Sozzi
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratories, Research and Molecular Development, North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lilly Yuen
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratories, Research and Molecular Development, North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - George Lau
- Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Anna Ayres
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratories, Research and Molecular Development, North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chloe Thio
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Kiat Ruxrungtham
- HIV Netherlands Australia Thailand Research Collaboration, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Stephen Locarnini
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratories, Research and Molecular Development, North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter A. Revill
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratories, Research and Molecular Development, North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Chaudhuri V, Tayal R, Nayak B, Acharya SK, Panda SK. Occult hepatitis B virus infection in chronic liver disease: full-length genome and analysis of mutant surface promoter. Gastroenterology 2004; 127:1356-71. [PMID: 15521005 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2004.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Genome sequence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) from occult chronic infection is scarce. Fifty-six (9.4%) of 591 patients seronegative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) with chronic liver disease were positive for HBV DNA. The complete HBV genome from 9 of these patients (S1-S9) and 5 controls positive for HBsAg (SWT.1-SWT.5) were analyzed. METHODS Overlapping genome fragment amplification, cloning, and sequencing was performed on these cases. Functional analysis of surface promoter was conducted using fusion construct. RESULTS All patients with occult infection except one (S8) had a low viral titer. Eight patients had infection with genotype A (S1-S5, SWT.1-2, SWT.5) and 6 had infection with genotype D (S6-S9, SWT.3-4). S4 and S5.1 of genotype A had the characteristic nucleotide deletions in core and pre-S1 region seen in genotype D. The major observations in patients with occult HBV infection were as follows: frequent quasispecies variation, deletions in pre-S2/S region affecting the surface promoters (nt 3025-54) and pre-S protein (S3, S5, S6, S8), truncated precore (S6, S8, S7.1) and core (S9) owing to stop signal, alternate start codon for the Polymerase gene (S3, S9), and YMDD mutation (S1, S4, S9) in patients not on antiviral therapy. HBsAg and core proteins could be shown immunohistochemically in 3 of 5 liver biopsy specimens available. The mutant surface promoters (pre-S2 and S) on functional analysis showed alterations in HBsAg expression. CONCLUSIONS These changes in the regulatory region with possible alterations in the ratio of large and small surface proteins along with other mutations in the genome may decrease the circulating HBsAg level synergistically, making the immunodetection in serum negative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaishali Chaudhuri
- Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India
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Bock CT, Schwinn S, Zentgraf H. Diheteroduplex formation using gold labeled single-stranded PCR fragments and its application in electron microscopy. Chromosoma 1995; 103:653-7. [PMID: 7587588 DOI: 10.1007/bf00357692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Heteroduplex analysis is commonly used to map homologous sequences in DNA:DNA or DNA:RNA hybrids in spread preparations by electron microscopy. However, the standard procedures are not suitable to detect the orientation of a fragment with a defined sequence in a hybrid molecule. Here, we describe an alternative protocol for the visualization of DNA:DNA "diheteroduplex" structures based on digoxigenin/anti-digoxigenin gold labeling that allows determination of the position and orientation of a fragment. Single-stranded polymerase chain reaction (PCR) generated fragments labeled at their 3' ends are hybridized to double-stranded plasmid DNA. Electron microscopy of spread preparations visualizes the gold label and, in combination with morphometric measurements, it is possible to determine the position and orientation of the fragment with the diheteroduplex molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- C T Bock
- German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
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Galle PR, Hagelstein J, Kommerell B, Volkmann M, Schranz P, Zentgraf H. In vitro experimental infection of primary human hepatocytes with hepatitis B virus. Gastroenterology 1994; 106:664-73. [PMID: 8119538 DOI: 10.1016/0016-5085(94)90700-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Studies on the interaction of hepatitis B virus (HBV) with its host cell require a suitable tissue culture system. This study used primary adult hepatocytes from healthy human liver tissue to establish productive infection in vitro. METHODS Hepatocytes were inoculated overnight with HBV. Production of viral proteins was assessed by radioimmunoassay and by [35S]methionine labeling, and production of viral DNA was assessed by Southern blotting and endogenous polymerase assay. RESULTS Secretion of high levels of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and low levels of hepatitis B virus e antigen (HBeAg) into the medium was detectable 6 days after infection and reached maximum values after 12 days. Metabolic labeling showed production of viral proteins to be a result of de novo synthesis. The appearance of single-stranded HBV DNA in the cytoplasm of infected cells, typically present in immature cores, indicated viral replication. HBV DNA containing particles possessing an active viral DNA polymerase could be immunoprecipitated from the medium 12 days after infection. An antiserum specific for the preS1 region of the viral envelope was capable to block infection. Presence of dimethyl sulfoxide in the medium greatly improved the yield of viral proteins. CONCLUSIONS Primary adult human liver cells are competent for infection with HBV.
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Affiliation(s)
- P R Galle
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Germany
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Chiang PW, Jeng KS, Hu CP, Chang CM. Characterization of a cis element required for packaging and replication of the human hepatitis B virus. Virology 1992; 186:701-11. [PMID: 1733109 DOI: 10.1016/0042-6822(92)90037-p] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a DNA virus; however, it replicates through a pregenomic RNA intermediate. Several HBV-specific mRNAs are transcribed, but only the pregenomic RNA transcript is encapsidated. The encapsidation of the HBV genome, therefore, is a highly specific and selective process. Using mutational analyses and complementation tests, we have defined a 99-nucleotide cis element located at the pre-C/C region of the HBV genome which is essential for encapsidation and the replication. Furthermore, HBV genome truncated down to 1.5 kb and HBV mutants carrying foreign DNA inserts could still replicate in our complementation system.
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Affiliation(s)
- P W Chiang
- Graduate Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, National Yang-Ming Medical College, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
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Terré S, Petit MA, Bréchot C. Defective hepatitis B virus particles are generated by packaging and reverse transcription of spliced viral RNAs in vivo. J Virol 1991; 65:5539-43. [PMID: 1895403 PMCID: PMC249055 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.65.10.5539-5543.1991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Generation of replicative defective viruses is frequently observed during viral infections. We now report that encapsidation and reverse transcription of spliced viral RNA is an additional mechanism for synthesis of defective viral particles. We have investigated the in vivo synthesis of a spliced hepatitis B virus (HBV) RNA. By using the polymerase chain reaction with different sets of primers on DNA purified from infected livers and the HepG2 HBV cell line, we detected a subgenomic HBV DNA complementary to the spliced viral RNA. Its nucleotide sequence was found to be identical to that previously described for the spliced RNA. This HBV RNA is packaged and reverse transcribed in vivo, the cDNA being incorporated into circulating particles. This finding establishes the synthesis of spliced HBV RNA in vivo and indicates that its reverse transcription can give rise to defective viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Terré
- INSERM U75, Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Necker, Paris, France
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Schranz P, Zentgraf H, Schröder CH. Integrated defective replication units of hepatitis B virus. Virus Genes 1990; 4:367-74. [PMID: 1962978 DOI: 10.1007/bf00570031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Stable transformants of the human hepatoma cell line HepG2 were established that constitutively transcribe a DNA unit consisting of a stretch of hepatitis B virus DNA and of nonviral DNA conferring resistance to neomycin. Previously it had been shown that upon cotransfection of such transformants with replication-competent HBV DNA, transcripts of such units become reverse transcribed, demonstrating that DNA constructs can function as defective replication units. Transformed cell lines stably transcribing the defective replication units could be shown to use the transcriptional starts for the viral pregenome and for the large core antigen at a ratio of 9:1. Upon the induction of replicative processes in the transformed cells by transfection with replication-competent wild type (wt) DNA, defective pregenomes transcribed from the integrated state became included in the pool of replicating nucleic acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Schranz
- Institut für Virusforschung, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg, FRG
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