Hepatitis B genotype G and high frequency of lamivudine-resistance mutations among human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis B virus co-infected patients in Brazil

In this study, we evaluated the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype distribution and HBV genomic mutations among a group of human immunodeficiency virus-HBV co-infected patients from an AIDS outpatient clinic in S?o Paulo. HBV serological markers were detected by commercially available enzyme immunoassay kits. HBV DNA was detected using in-house nested polymerase chain reaction and quantified by Cobas Amplicor. HBV genotypes and mutations in the basal core promoter (BCP)/pre-core/core regions and surface/polymerase genes were determined by sequencing. Among the 59 patients included in this study, 55 reported prior use of lamivudine (LAM) or tenofovir. HBV DNA was detected in 16/22 patients, with a genotype distribution of A (n = 12,75%), G (n = 2,13%), D (n = 1,6%) and F (n = 1,6%). The sequence data of the two patients infected with genotype G strongly suggested co-infection with genotype A. In 10 patients with viremia, LAM-resistance mutations in the polymerase gene (rtL180M + rtM204V and rtV173L + rtL180M + rtM204V) were found, accompanied by changes in the envelope gene (sI195M, sW196L and sI195M/sE164D). Mutations in the BCP and pre-core regions were identified in four patients. In conclusion, genotype G, which is rarely seen in Brazil, was observed in the group of patients included in our study. A high prevalence of mutations associated with LAM-resistance and mutations associated with anti-HBs resistance were also found among these patients.     

利用基因芯片分析拉米夫定治疗过程中HBV DNA的基因变异

依据乙型肝炎病毒(Hepatitis B virus;HBV)聚合酶基因序列研制HBV基因芯片,此芯片可分析HBV的7个基因型、4种血清型和HBV聚合酶基因rtV173、rtL180、rtM204和rtV207位点的突变。利用此芯片对A、B两组共计45例拉米夫定治疗12个月的患者进行服药前和服药后3、6、9、12个月的动态检测,其中C基因型39例,且血清型均为adr;B基因型6例,其血清型均为adw。在完成全程检测的38例患者中,17例ALT升高的A组出现1例拉米夫定耐药变异株,而21例ALT正常的B组出现4例变异株,且所有变异株均为rtM204 V／rtL180M,其中2例野生株和变异株共存。rtM204V变异最早在服药6个月时出现,随后出现rtL180M变异。10份PCR产物测序分析表明,芯片检测结果与测序结果基本一致,仅在rtL173位点出现1例差异。进一步分析HBV DNA变异与HBV DNA含量、ALT水平和HBeAg血清转换率的相关性,初步结果表明变异株的出现与治疗过程中的DNA反弹呈正相关,而与起始HBVDNA水平、ALT值无关联。HBV基因芯片可初步用于HBV DNA检测,可能是临床追踪评价抗病毒治疗效果的较好方法之一。     

Molecular mechanisms of adefovir sensitivity and resistance in HBV polymerase mutants: a molecular dynamics study

Molecular modeling studies of adefovir diphosphate with the wild type and the mutant HBV polymerase-DNA complex demonstrated that the increase in adefovir sensitivity toward HBV polymerase mutants (rtL180M, rtM204V/I, rtL180M-M204V/I) is a result of increased van der Waals interaction and is supplemented by the decreased affinity of natural substrate toward the mutant HBV polymerase. In the case of rtN236T mutant, loss of two hydrogen bonds accompanied by significant decrease in electrostatic interactions is observed, which explains the observed decrease in drug sensitivity and binding affinity of adefovir diphosphate toward the rtN236T mutant HBV polymerase.     

拉米夫定联合阿德福韦酯治疗乙型肝炎的疗效及对HBV耐药基因突变的影响

目的探讨拉米夫定联合阿德福韦酯治疗慢性乙型肝炎的疗效,并利用反向点杂交技术检测其对HBV基因耐药突变的影响。方法156例慢性乙型肝炎患者随机分为2组：对照组70例采用拉米夫定治疗,治疗组86例采用拉米夫定联合阿德福韦酯治疗。采用实时荧光定量PCR和ELISA检测2组治疗前和治疗后48周的HBV-DNA载量和HBeAg并采用PCR-反向点杂交技术（PCR-RDB）检测2组治疗48周后的HBV耐药基因突变情况。结果对照组及治疗组在经过48周治疗后HBV-DNA载量较治疗前都明显下降（P 〈0. 05）,治疗组HBV-DNA载量明显低于对照组（P〈0.05）。治疗组经过48周治疗后HBeAg的阴转率为54.9%,明显高于对照组15.0% （P 〈0.05）。对照组44例未出现耐药突变,25例拉米夫定耐药突变中rtL180M突变6例,rtM204V/I突变11例,rtL180M ＋ rtM204V/I混合突变8例;阿德福韦酯HN236T耐药突变1例。治疗组77例未出现耐药突变;5例拉米夫定耐药突变中rtL180M突变1例,rtM204V/I突变2例,rtL180M ＋ rtM204V/I混合突变2例;阿德福韦酯耐药突变中rtN236T突变1例;拉米夫定和阿德福韦酯交叉耐药rtN236T ＋ rtM204V/I混合突变3例。对照组耐药突变率为37. 1%（26/70）明显髙于治疗组的10.5%（9/86）（P〈0.05）。结论拉米夫定联合阿德福韦酯对治疗慢性乙型肝炎方面有效并在减少HBV耐药基因突变方面具有一定的作用。     

Substitution at rt269 in Hepatitis B Virus Polymerase Is a Compensatory Mutation Associated with Multi-Drug Resistance

The emergence of compensatory mutations in the polymerase gene of drug resistant hepatitis B virus (HBV) is associated with treatment failure. We previously identified a multi-drug resistant HBV mutant, which displayed resistance towards lamivudine (LMV), clevudine (CLV), and entecavir (ETV), along with a strong replication capacity. The aim of this study was to identify the previously unknown compensatory mutations, and to determine the clinical relevance of this mutation during antiviral therapy. In vitro mutagenesis, drug susceptibility assay, and molecular modeling studies were performed. The rtL269I substitution conferred 2- to 7-fold higher replication capacity in the wild-type (WT) or YMDD mutation backbone, regardless of drug treatment. The rtL269I substitution alone did not confer resistance to LMV, ETV, adefovir (ADV), or tenofovir (TDF). However, upon combination with YMDD mutation, the replication capacity under LMV or ETV treatment was enhanced by several folds. Molecular modeling studies suggested that the rtL269I substitution affects template binding, which may eventually lead to the enhanced activity of rtI269-HBV polymerase in both WT virus and YMDD mutant. The clinical relevance of the rtL269I substitution was validated by its emergence in association with YMDD mutation in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with sub-optimal response or treatment failure to LMV or CLV. Our study suggests that substitution at rt269 in HBV polymerase is associated with multi-drug resistance, which may serve as a novel compensatory mutation for replication-defective multi-drug resistant HBV.     

乙型肝炎病毒RT区变异及其与基因型分布的关系

目的：探讨大样本乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）感染患者RT区耐药位点变异的流行情况,及各耐药位点变异与HBV基因型的关系。方法：采用P区测序法对1117例慢性乙型肝炎患者的血清病毒进行P区测序、进化树分型。结果：RT区耐药位点变异发生率与基因型关系密切,在基因型C患者中的变异发生率远远高于基因型B患者（P=O．000）。Rt180、rtM204V、rtM204I、rt181、rt213位点变异均与基因型c有关（P〈O．05）。主要的三种变异类型rt180＋rtM204V、rtM204I、rt180＋rtM204I间基因型分布存在显薯差异（P=0．003）。不同HBeAg状态下,耐药变并的发生有显著差并（P=O．020）,特别是rt181和rt236位点变畀。结论：HBV基因型影响RT区耐药变异发生率及变异类型。且耐药变异发生率也与HBeAg状态有关。     

Molecular Epidemiology and Genotyping of Hepatitis B Virus of HBsAg-Positive Patients in Oman

Background

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major global health burden with distinct geographic public health significance. Oman is a country with intermediate HBV carrier prevalence; however, little is known about the incidence of HBV variants in circulation. We investigated the HBV genotype distribution, the occurrence of antiviral resistance, and HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) escape mutations in HBsAg-positive patients in Oman.

Methods

Serum samples were collected from 179 chronically HBV-infected patients enrolled in various gastroenterology clinics in Oman. HBV genotypes were determined by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Mutations in the HBV polymerase and the HBsAg gene were characterized by mutational analysis.

Results

HBV genotypes D (130/170; 76.47%) and A (32/170; 18.28%) are predominant in Oman. The HBV genotypes C and E were less frequent (each 1.18%), while the HBV genotypes B, G, F, and H were not detected. Four patients revealed HBV genotype mixtures (HBV-A/D and D/C). The analyses of vaccine escape mutations yield that 148/170 (87.06%) HBV sequences were wild type. 22/170 (12.94%) HBV sequences showed mutations in the “a” determinant of the HBsAg domain. Two patients showed the described HBV vaccine escape mutation sP120T. 8/146 (5.48%) HBV isolates harbored mutations in the HBV polymerase known to confer resistance against antiviral therapy. Especially the lamivudine resistance mutations rtL180M/rtM204V and rtM204I were detected.

Conclusion

This study shows the distribution of HBV genotypes, therapy resistance, and vaccine escape mutations in HBV-infected patients in Oman. Our findings will have a major impact on therapy management and diagnostics of chronic HBV infections in Oman to control HBV infection in this intermediate HBV-endemic country.     

Genome replication,virion secretion,and e antigen expression of naturally occurring hepatitis B virus core promoter mutants

The core promoter mutants of hepatitis B virus (HBV) emerge as the dominant viral population at the late HBeAg and the anti-HBe stages of HBV infection, with the A1762T/G1764A substitutions as the hotspot mutations. The double core promoter mutations were found by many investigators to moderately enhance viral genome replication and reduce hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) expression. A much higher replication capacity was reported for a naturally occurring core promoter mutant implicated in the outbreak of fulminant hepatitis, which was caused by the neighboring C1766T/T1768A mutations instead. To systemically study the biological properties of naturally occurring core promoter mutants, we amplified full-length HBV genomes by PCR from sera of HBeAg(+) individuals infected with genotype A. All 12 HBV genomes derived from highly viremic sera (5 x 10(9) to 5.7 x 10(9) copies of viral genome/ml) harbored wild-type core promoter sequence, whereas 37 of 43 clones from low-viremia samples (0.2 x 10(7) to 4.6 x 10(7) copies/ml) were core promoter mutants. Of the 11 wild-type genomes and 14 core promoter mutants analyzed by transfection experiments in human hepatoma cell lines, 6 core promoter mutants but none of the wild-type genomes replicated at high levels. All had 1762/1764 mutations and an additional substitution at position 1753 (T to C), at position 1766 (C to T), or both. Moreover, these HBV clones varied greatly in their ability to secrete enveloped viral particles irrespective of the presence of core promoter mutations. High-replication clones with 1762/1764/1766 or 1753/1762/1764/1766 mutations expressed very low levels of HBeAg, whereas high-replication clones with 1753/1762/1764 triple mutations expressed high levels of HBeAg. Experiments with site-directed mutants revealed that both 1762/1764/1766 and 1753/1762/1764/1766 mutations conferred significantly higher viral replication and lower HBeAg expression than 1762/1764 mutations alone, whereas the 1753/1762/1764 triple mutant displayed only mild reduction in HBeAg expression similar to the 1762/1764 mutant. Thus, core promoter mutations other than those at positions 1762 and 1764 can have major impact on viral DNA replication and HBeAg expression.     

Long-Term Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Response to Lamivudine-Containing Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in HIV-HBV Co-Infected Patients in Thailand

BACKGROUND: Approximately 4 million of people are co-infected with HIV and Hepatitis B virus (HBV). In resource-limited settings, the majority of HIV-infected patients initiate first-line highly active antiretroviral therapy containing lamivudine (3TC-containing-HAART) and long-term virological response of HBV to lamivudine-containing HAART in co-infected patients is not well known. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDING: HIV-HBV co-infected patients enrolled in the PHPT cohort (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00433030) and initiating a 3TC-containing-HAART regimen were included. HBV-DNA, HIV-RNA, CD4+ T-cell counts and alanine transaminase were measured at baseline, 3 months, 12 months and then every 6 months up to 5 years. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate the cumulative rates of patients who achieved and maintained HBV-DNA suppression. Of 30 co-infected patients, 19 were positive for HBe antigen (HBeAg). At initiation of 3TC-containing-HAART, median HBV DNA and HIV RNA levels were 7.35 log(10) IU/mL and 4.47 log(10) copies/mL, respectively. At 12 months, 67% of patients achieved HBV DNA suppression: 100% of HBeAg-negative patients and 47% of HBeAg-positive. Seventy-three percent of patients had HIV RNA below 50 copies/mL. The cumulative rates of maintained HBV-DNA suppression among the 23 patients who achieved HBV-DNA suppression were 91%, 87%, and 80% at 1, 2, and 4 years respectively. Of 17 patients who maintained HBV-DNA suppression while still on 3TC, 4 (24%) lost HBsAg and 7 of 8 (88%) HBeAg-positive patients lost HBeAg at their last visit (median duration, 59 months). HBV breakthrough was observed only in HBeAg-positive patients and 6 of 7 patients presenting HBV breakthrough had the rtM204I/V mutations associated with 3TC resistance along with rtL180M and/or rtV173L. CONCLUSIONS: All HBeAg-negative patients and 63% of HBeAg-positive HIV-HBV co-infected patients achieved long-term HBV DNA suppression while on 3TC-containing-HAART. This study provides information useful for the management of co-infected patients in resource-limited countries where the vast majority of co-infected patients are currently receiving 3TC.     

Antiviral therapy against chronic hepatitis B in Brazil: high rates of lamivudine resistance mutations and correlation with HBV genotypes

The effectiveness of antiviral treatments of chronic hepatitis B has been poorly studied in Brazil. Here, hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA positivity, drug resistance mutations and their association with HBV genotypes were evaluated in chronically HBV-infected patients under different drug regimens in Brazil. The study involved 129 patients under interferon or nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy for a median treatment time of 12 months. One hundred and five (81%) of these patients were treated with lamivudine (LAM), either in monotherapy or in combination with newer drugs, such as entecavir (ETV) or tenofovir (TDF). High (37.5-100%) rates of HBV DNA positivity were observed with all but one drug regimen (LAM + ETV). However, patients that were treated with ETV alone, TDF alone or with LAM combination therapies had a mean viral load that was 3-4 log lower than patients treated with LAM monotherapy. Of the patients treated with LAM, 47% developed resistance mutations. HBV genotypes A (59.1%), D (30.3%) and F (9.1%) were found. There was no association between the presence of LAM resistance mutations and genotypes, HBeAg status or treatment duration. Nevertheless, the rtM204V mutation was observed more frequently (12/13, 92%) in genotype A than in the others (p = 0.023). Six out of nine isolates that contained the rtM204I mutation belonged to genotype D and half of them displayed a single mutation. Genotype D isolates with the rtM204V variant preferentially displayed a triple mutation, while genotype A preferentially displayed a double mutation (p = 0.04).     

慢性乙型肝炎病毒耐药突变体研究

在治疗慢性乙型肝炎的核苷类似物的用药过程中,筛选耐药突变体.选定1名从未接受抗病毒治疗慢性乙型肝炎患者,用抗病毒核酸类药物治疗,不同治疗时期提取血清HBV DNA,用引物P1(5′-AAGGG-TATCTTGCCCGTTTGTCGTA-3′)和P2(5′-AAGCAGGATAGCCACAGA-3′)为第1轮,P3(5′-AAGGCACTTGTAT-TCCCATCCGAG-3′)和P4(5′-AAGGTCTATTTACAGGGGA-3′)为第2轮引物扩增筛选耐药突变体.在18周和22周分别检测到突变体LMV rtH69T(YMDDlocus)和LMV rtT184T(YMDDlocus)、LMV rtM204I(YMDDlocus).在60周和70周分别检测到ADV T213S、ADV T222A、ADV K212T和ADV S196L、ADV S242H,其中ADV S196L和ADV S242H 2种突变体是首次检测到.HBV核苷酸类似物耐药突变体筛选,对研究HBV耐药的分子机制有帮助.     

2010年舟山某医院拉米夫定无良好应答乙肝患者耐药监测分析

目的观察2010年舟山某医院拉米夫定单药治疗无良好应答的乙肝患者其基因型和P区耐药位点突变的关系。方法随机选取舟山某医院就诊的124例拉米夫定单药治疗无良好应答的本地乙肝患者,男64例,女60例,平均年龄(46.92±15.16)岁,用实时荧光定量PCR检测其基因型和HBV-DNA,并用毛细管电泳测序技术对P区进行突变位点检测。结果 124例患者35例(28.23%)B型和89例(71.77%)C基因型。C型HBV-DNA为(5.83±0.91)log10 copies/mL,高于B型的(5.07±1.13)log10 copies/mL,差异具有统计学意义(t=3.55,P<0.01)。拉米夫定在B基因型中的耐药率为45.71%(16/35),低于C基因型的65.17%(58/89),差异具有统计学意义(2χ=3.951,P<0.05)。拉米夫定耐药株在B基因型中rtM204 I/V/S位点突变率为68.75%(11/16),高于C基因型的37.93%(22/58),差异具有统计学意义(2χ=4.821,P<0.05)。结论对于本地区拉米夫定治疗无良好应答的C基因乙肝患者,应加强拉米夫定的耐药位点筛查,而拉米夫定治疗无良好应答的B基因乙肝患者应加强rtM204 I/V/S位点检测。     

Virological Characteristics of Acute Hepatitis B in Eastern India: Critical Differences with Chronic Infection

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) manifests high genetic variability and is classifiable into ten genotypes (A-J). HBV infection can lead to variable clinical outcomes, ranging from self-limiting acute hepatitis to active chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The present study characterizes HBV strains circulating among patients with acute (AHB) and chronic HBV infection (CHB). Among a total of 653 HBsAg positive cases, 40 manifested acute infection. After sequencing the surface(S), basal core promoter/pre-core(BCP/PC) and the X gene regions, phylogenetic tree was constructed using MEGA4 by neighbor-joining method. Statistical robustness was established with bootstrap analysis. Nucleotide diversity was determined by Shannon entropy per site using the Entropy program of the Los Alamos National Laboratories. Analyses of acute patients revealed that HBV/D2 is the major circulating sub-genotype and commonly associated with sexual promiscuity and the age group between15-30 years. Comparison of AHB and CHB patients revealed that HBeAg positivity, ALT levels and genotype D were significantly high in AHB, whereas CHB patients were predominantly male, had a high viral load, and were commonly associated with genotype C. The frequencies of mutations in the S, BCP/PC, and X gene were low in AHB as compared to CHB. Drug resistant mutations were not detectable in the polymerase gene of AHB. Average nucleotide diversity in AHB was considerably low as compared to CHB. Further, the highest average ΔH (average difference in entropy between chronic and acute infection) was observed in the BCP/PC region implying that this region was most vulnerable to mutations upon HBV persistence, especially in case of genotype C. Additionally, among all substitutions, the A1762T and G1764A BCP mutations were the strongest indicators of chronicity. In conclusion, the study exhibits a general portrait of HBV strains circulating among acute hepatitis B patients in Eastern India and their intricate differences with chronic patients which should be useful from the clinical point of view.