Immunopathology of chronic progressive hepatitis in nude mice infected with low-virulent mouse hepatitis virus

Progressive hepatitis in athymic nude (nu/nu) mice due to a low-virulent mouse hepatitis virus, MHV-2 cc, was examined for involvement of immunocytes and serum antibodies. At 3 to 6 weeks postinoculation (p.i.) a considerable number of Mac 1- and asialo GM1-positive cells were accumulated in the affected liver and spleen. There were also some Thy-1-positive cells. Later than 2 weeks p.i., serum IgG and IgM antibodies were detected in parallel with virus-neutralizing activity, while the IgG levels were lower than those of infected euthymic (nu/+) littermates. By transfer of the infected nu/nu mouse serum, the recipient euthymic mice acquired resistance to lethal challenge infection with a virulent virus, MHV-2.     

A molecularly cloned hepatitis B virus produced in vitro is infectious in a chimpanzee.

The infectivity of hepatitis B virus (HBV) produced in vitro by HepG2 cells transfected with HBV DNA (HepG2T14) has been assayed in a chimpanzee. Following inoculation, the chimpanzee underwent a typical course of type B hepatitis infection, characterized by elevation of serum aminotransferases and by histological identification of hepatic damage. Hepatitis B surface antigen and core-related antigen appeared in the serum at weeks 5 and 7, respectively, after infection. HBV DNA was detected in serum samples, and replicative forms of the HBV genome were identified in liver biopsies. Subtype identification of hepatitis B surface antigen and restriction enzyme analysis of HBV DNA in both the inoculum and the serum of the infected chimpanzee confirmed that the hepatitis B infection observed in this animal was caused by viral particles produced by HepG2T14 cells. These findings indicate that, although HepG2 cells do not seem to be susceptible to infection by HBV in vitro, they can produce biologically active infectious virions after transfection with cloned HBV DNA.     

Enterotropic mouse hepatitis virus infection in nude mice

The cause of emaciation and diarrhea in athymic nude mice was found to be hyperplastic typhlocolitis resulting from infection with enterotropic mouse hepatitis virus (MHV). The disease was reproduced in experimentally-inoculated nude mice using intestinal homogenates from affected mice and cell culture-derived virus. Material derived from an experimental mouse was passed into neonatal Swiss mice and caused acute typhlocolitis. Virus failed to grow in NCTC-1469 cells and 17Cl-1 cells, which are normally permissive for MHV, but grew to low titer in a mouse rectal carcinoma cell line, CMT 93. These results show that an enterotropic strain of MHV can cause chronic enteric disease in athymic nude mice. The pattern of infection differs markedly from the more common MHV wasting syndrome in nude mice caused by non-enteric strains of MHV.     

Modification of immune response in nude mice infected with mouse hepatitis virus.

In nude mice experimentally infected with mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), the numbers of early and later plaque forming cells (PFC) to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) generated in the spleen were 7 to 20 times and 2 to 163 times, respectively, greater than those in non-infected nude mice, when SRBC were given at day 0 to day 21 postinfection. Splenic theta-positive lymphocytes in infected nude mice were shown to increase only at day 10 or more postinfection. PFC response to bacterial lipopolysaccharide, a T cell-independent antigen, was not modified in MHV-infected nude mice.     

Persistent infection with mouse hepatitis virus of low virulence in nude mice.

A persisting type of infection with wasting syndrome was established in congenitally athymic nude mice after intraperitoneal inoculation with a mouse hepatitis virus which was not fully pathogenic for heterozygous haired littermates. From the liver, spleen, lymph nodes, and brain of most infected nude mice, the virus was detected at high titers during aperiod from 6 to 35 days postinfection, occurrence of degenerative and necrotic lesions being correlated with virus titers in these organs. The titer of serum neutralizing antibody remained undetectable or very low in most diseases nude mice, whereas some animals resisting the infection could produce antibody at a later stage. In heterozygous haired mice, some lesions were detectable at a very early stage of infection in the spleen and liver, but they seemed to disappear with a marked elevation of the neutralizing antibody titer. Nude mice were able to resist the virus infection when they had previously received transfer of thymocytes from weanling heterozygous littermates.     

Restriction map of the hepatitis B virus DNA cloned in Escherichia coli

A plasmid carrying the complete genome of hepatitis B virus (HBV) inserted into the BamHI site of the pBR322 plasmid vector has been constructed. The physical map of HBV DNA established for 13 restriction endonucleases allows to conclude that the cloned DNA is similar, but not identical to the HBV DNA of ayw subtype.     

The comparative mapping of virion and cloned DNA of the hepatitis B virus

The entire hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome and its fragments have been cloned into the BamHI site of the plasmid pBR322 vector. The identity of physical maps of cloned and authentic virion DNAs was demonstrated by restriction enzyme analysis. The location of restriction sites is suggestive of a certain similarity between the studied HBV DNA and HBV DNA, subtype ayw (Galibert et al., 1979). From the restriction enzyme analysis of virion DNA repaired and 32P-labeled by the endogenous DNA-polymerase reaction, the new information concerning the location and maximal length (approximately 1500 nucleotides) of the single-stranded region of HBV DNA has been established.     

Nucleotide sequence of a cloned woodchuck hepatitis virus genome: comparison with the hepatitis B virus sequence.

The complete nucleotide sequence of a woodchuck hepatitis virus genome cloned in Escherichia coli was determined by the method of Maxam and Gilbert. This sequence was found to be 3,308 nucleotides long. Potential ATG initiator triplets and nonsense codons were identified and used to locate regions with a substantial coding capacity. A striking similarity was observed between the organization of human hepatitis B virus and woodchuck hepatitis virus. Nucleotide sequences of these open regions in the woodchuck virus were compared with corresponding regions present in hepatitis B virus. This allowed the location of four viral genes on the L strand and indicated the absence of protein coded by the S strand. Evolution rates of the various parts of the genome as well as of the four different proteins coded by hepatitis B virus and woodchuck hepatitis virus were compared. These results indicated that: (i) the core protein has evolved slightly less rapidly than the other proteins; and (ii) when a region of DNA codes for two different proteins, there is less freedom for the DNA to evolve and, moreover, one of the proteins can evolve more rapidly than the other. A hairpin structure, very well conserved in the two genomes, was located in the only region devoid of coding function, suggesting the location of the origin of replication of the viral DNA.     

Free and integrated forms of hepatitis B virus DNA in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (PLC/342) propagated in nude mice.

Primary hepatocellular carcinoma cells (PLC/342) propagated in nude mice produce hepatitis B surface antigen of subtype adr, as well as core particles containing viral DNA and DNA polymerase. Free and integrated forms of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in the tumor were isolated by molecular cloning, and their nucleotide sequences were determined. Both of the two representative clones of free HBV DNA had the same genomic length (3,158 base pairs) and had two stop codons as well as two deletions in the envelope gene. None of the seven distinct clones of integrated HBV DNA possessed the entire viral genome. The integrated clone sequences had deletions and rearrangements, and only two clones possessed the envelope gene including the promoter and enhancer sequences. The C gene, which codes for core protein, was preserved in the two free clones and one of the integrated clones. The P gene, which codes for DNA polymerase, had deletions at two positions of 21 and 36 base pairs in both free clones, but was carried in toto by one of the integrated clones. The nucleotide sequences of the S genes of two free and four integrated clones, as well as their two inverted repeats, were compared. All of the eight sequences of the S gene possessed two nucleotide substitutions in common that were not displayed by any of the reported HBV genomes. The sequences differed from one another by only 1.2%. They differed, however, from 11 reported HBV genomes of subtype adr by 2.4%, from an ayr genome by 1.9%, from 2 adw genomes by 6.9%, and from 2 ayw genomes by 5.9%. These results indicate that all free and integrated HBV DNA species in the PLC/342 tumor cell evolved from a common progenitor. The free HBV DNA underwent nucleotide substitutions during several integration events, resulting in integrated HBV DNA copies that were similar in sequence but distinct from the reported HBV genomes.     

Prevalence of hepatitis B virus in chronic hepatitis B patients

The aim of the current study was to detect HBV by Real time - PCR in chronic hepatitis B patients. Fifty-eight sera of chronic hepatitis B patients were subjected during the period March 2009 to April 2010 in Ilam cities in West of Iran. Sera assayed by real-time PCR and ELISA methods. Twenty serum samples from healthy volunteers and non-hepatitis B patients and negative for hepatitis B seromarkers served as negative controls for the study. Among fifty-eight sera, ELISA showed fifty-five (94.8%) of the samples were positive for HBsAg and three (5.2%) negative results obtained while real-time PCR specified fifty-eight (100%) positive results in chronic hepatitis B patients. HBsAg status did not necessarily reflect HBV DNA level in the serum, as 5.2% of chronic Hepatitis B patients were positive for HBV DNA but negative for HBsAg. HBV DNA was not found to be positive amongst any of the negative controls. Real time - PCR is a sensitive and reproducible assay for HBV DNA quantization.     

Cloned duck hepatitis B virus DNA is infectious in Pekin ducks

Approximately 10% of German-bred Pekin ducks were found to be chronically infected with duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV). The genomes of three German DHBV isolates analyzed were closely related but showed substantial restriction site polymorphism compared with U.S. isolates. We tested the infectivity of three sequence variants of cloned DHBV DNA by injecting them into the liver of virus-free ducklings. Most of these animals injected with double-stranded closed-circular or plasmid-integrated dimer DHBV DNA developed viremia, demonstrating the infectivity of all three cloned DHBV DNA variants. The cloned viruses produced were indistinguishable from those from naturally infected animals, implying that our experimental approach can be used to perform a functional analysis of the DHBV genome.     

High-level hepatitis B virus replication in transgenic mice.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) transgenic mice whose hepatocytes replicate the virus at levels comparable to that in the infected livers of patients with chronic hepatitis have been produced, without any evidence of cytopathology. High-level viral gene expression was obtained in the liver and kidney tissues in three independent lineages. These animals were produced with a terminally redundant viral DNA construct (HBV 1.3) that starts just upstream of HBV enhancer I, extends completely around the circular viral genome, and ends just downstream of the unique polyadenylation site in HBV. In these animals, the viral mRNA is more abundant in centrilobular hepatocytes than elsewhere in the hepatic lobule. High-level viral DNA replication occurs inside viral nucleocapsid particles that preferentially form in the cytoplasm of these centrilobular hepatocytes, suggesting that an expression threshold must be reached for nucleocapsid assembly and viral replication to occur. Despite the restricted distribution of the viral replication machinery in centrilobular cytoplasmic nucleocapsids, nucleocapsid particles are detectable in the vast majority of hepatocyte nuclei throughout the hepatic lobule. The intranuclear nucleocapsid particles are empty, however, suggesting that viral nucleocapsid particle assembly occurs independently in the nucleus and the cytoplasm of the hepatocyte and implying that cytoplasmic nucleocapsid particles do not transport the viral genome across the nuclear membrane into the nucleus during the viral life cycle. This model creates the opportunity to examine the influence of viral and host factors on HBV pathogenesis and replication and to assess the antiviral potential of pharmacological agents and physiological processes, including the immune response.     

Ground squirrel hepatitis virus DNA: molecular cloning and comparison with hepatitis B virus DNA

Ground squirrel hepatitis virus (GSHV) shares many ultrastructural antigenic, molecular, and biological features with hepatitis B virus (HBV) of humans, indicating that they are members of the same virus group. Both viruses contain small circular DNA molecules which are partially single stranded. Here, we ligated an endonuclease EcoRI digest of GSHV DNA with EcoRI-cleaved plasmid vector pBR322 and cloned recombinant plasmids in Escherichia coli C600. Two cloned recombinants were characterized. One (pGS2) was found to contain only part of the GSHV genome, and the other (pGS11) was found to contain the entire viral DNA. A restriction endonuclease cleavage map of the GSHV insert in pGS11 and the locations of certain physical features of the virion DNA were determined. The relative positions of the single-stranded region, the unique 5' end of the short DNA strand, and the unique nick in the long DNA strand in GSHV DNA were found to be the same as those previously described for HBV DNA. Hybridization with an HBV [32P]DNA probe containing the apparent coding sequence for the major polypeptide of HBV surface antigen and a probe containing the putative coding sequence for the major polypeptide of the HBV core revealed specific homology with different restriction fragments of GSHV DNA. The two homologous regions had approximately the same locations relative to the single-stranded region, the 5' end of the short strand, and the nick in the long strand in the two viral DNAs. These results suggest that in both viruses the genes for the major HBV surface antigen and core polypeptides have the same locations relative to unique physical features of the viral DNAs.     

Production of hepatitis B virus in vitro by transient expression of cloned HBV DNA in a hepatoma cell line.

Transfection of human hepatoma cell lines with cloned HBV DNA resulted in the secretion of large amounts of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and core-related antigens (HBc/HBeAg) if well-differentiated cell lines were employed. Synthesis of both viral antigens was the highest in cell line HuH-7 and continued for approximately 25 days. Particles resembling hepatitis B virions (Dane particles) by morphology, density and by the presence of the preS1 surface antigen were released from the transfected HuH-7 cells into the culture medium. These particles produced in vitro were also indistinguishable from the naturally occurring hepatitis B virions in containing the virus-associated DNA polymerase and mature HBV genomes. Restriction analysis of these DNA molecules was compatible with the nucleotide sequence of the transfecting HBV DNA sequence. Viral surface antigens and core proteins present in the culture medium were fractionated and characterized by immunoprecipitation and SDS--PAGE after labeling with [35S]methionine. Antisera specific for X-gene products identified in cell extracts two hitherto unknown HBV gene products. This system thus provides a new approach to open questions regarding HBV-related gene function and HBV replication.     

Amplification and rearrangement in hepatoma cell DNA associated with integrated hepatitis B virus DNA.

DNA of hepatitis B virus is found to be integrated into the genome of infected human liver cells and may be related to the development of primary liver carcinoma. We have previously reported the cloning of cellular DNA with integrated HBV sequences from the PLC/PRF/5 cell line which derives from a human primary liver carcinoma. Two clones, designated as A-10.7 and A-10.5, and a third uncloned fragment are compared by restriction enzyme mapping, hybridization and nucleotide sequencing. The results indicate that amplification of integrated viral DNA and host flanking regions has occurred, followed by transposition and/or major deletions. The implications of these findings for the development of primary liver carcinoma are discussed.     

Multiple integration site of hepatitis B virus DNA in hepatocellular carcinoma and chronic active hepatitis tissues from children.

Attention was directed to hepatitis B virus (HBV) integration in tissues obtained from an hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) of an 11-year-old boy and from the liver of his 6-year-old brother, who had chronic active hepatitis. Multiple HBV DNA integration sites were demonstrated in both tissues. Cell population(s) in the HCC and liver from the patient with chronic active hepatitis were assumed to be heterogeneous with regard to HBV integration. The integrated forms in the two tissues showed similar genetic organization without gross rearrangement. The location of one of the virus-chromosomal junctions was restricted to the 5'-end region of the minus-strand DNA of HBV. The experimental results support our previous model for the mechanism of HBV integration, in which minus-strand replicative intermediates integrate into chromosomal DNA. The integrated HBV DNAs were conserved in the same region of the viral genome, spanning from the C gene through the S gene to the X gene, which contains intrinsic promoter-enhancer sequences.     

The complete nucleotide sequences of the cloned hepatitis B virus DNA; subtype adr and adw

The complete nucleotide sequences of two different subtypes (adr and adw) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA cloned in E. coli were determined. The sequence of the viral genome of the adr clone was 3188 nucleotides long, and that of the adw clone was 3200 nucleotides long. The adr and adw clones differed from the reported cloned ayw HBV DNA (3182 nucleotides long) in 11.2% and 10.0% of nucleotides, respectively. Heterogeneity of the HBV genome in the clones with the same subtype was observed.