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.     

抗原抗体复合物型治疗性疫苗(乙克)临床研究中患者血清乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原下降的分析与启示

近年来全球慢性乙型肝炎(chronic hepatitis B,CHB)防治指南提出了“功能性治愈”(functional cure)的概念,即患者经过治疗达到血清乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原(hepatitis B virus surface antigen,HBsAg)消失,但现有抗病毒治疗很难实现这一目标。本研究对既往临床试验中经抗原抗体复合物型治疗性疫苗(乙克)治疗后的CHB患者HBsAg下降情况进行了归纳分析,结果显示,经乙克治疗随访后达到乙型肝炎e抗原(hepatitis B e antigen,HBeAg)血清学转换者的HBsAg下降高达0.95log₁₀IU/mL,显著高于未达到HBeAg血清学转换者的0.32log₁₀IU/mL(P<0.01),而经氢氧化铝佐剂治疗随访后发生HBeAg血清学转换(0.49log₁₀IU/mL)者与未发生HBeAg血清学转换者(0.36log₁₀IU/mL)之间HBsAg下降无统计学差异。乙克组治疗过程中,丙氨酸氨基转移酶(alanine aminotransferase,ALT)骤升(ALT flare)在HBsAg下降>1.0log₁₀IU/mL者中较多见,氢氧化铝组未观察到此现象。回归分析显示,乙克治疗后HBsAg下降的影响因素有患者出现HBeAg血清学转换、感染的HBV为B基因型、治疗过程中ALT出现10倍增高,以及基线血清HBsAg为高水平。结果提示,乙克诱导的特异性免疫对降低CHB患者血清HBsAg水平有一定效果,采用“抗病毒药物治疗＋针对HBsAg的中和性抗体被动免疫＋乙克主动免疫”的“三明治”治疗策略可能会提高“功能性治愈”率。     

慢性乙型肝炎患者血清去甲肾上腺素的变化

目的 :探讨慢性乙型肝炎患者血清去甲肾上腺素变化。方法 :荧光分光光度法测定患者血清去甲肾上腺素水平 ,全自动生化分析仪测定总胆红素和转氨酶水平。结果 :血清去甲肾上腺素浓度随病情严重而升高 ,慢性中度和重度组明显高于正常对照和慢性轻度组 ;其含量与总胆红素呈显著正相关 (r =0 .75 1,P <0 .0 1) ,与丙氨酸转氨酶和天冬氨酸转氨酶均呈弱正相关 (r分别为0 .470和 0 .44 9,P <0 .0 5 )。结论 :慢性乙型肝炎患者血清去甲肾上腺素水平随病情严重而上升 ,与肝脏功能密切相关     

Levels of some cytokines and antibodies to hepatitis C virus in patients with chronic hepatitis C

The comparison of the levels of some cytokines (tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-4) in the blood serum of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) having different antibody spectrum was carried out. In CHC patients increased levels of the serum cytokines IL-1beta, TNF-alpha under study in comparison with cytokine levels in donor sera was noted. In patients with detected antiNS5 and antiHCV IgM and antiNS5 HCV the level of IL-1beta was significantly higher than that in CHC patients without antibodies in sera. A change in the levels of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the blood sera of CHC patients may be of significant diagnostic and prognostic importance.     

乙肝患者血清肝纤维化标志物与HBV DNA含量分析

目的 动态观察肝纤维化活动性与肝脏病变程度。方法 采用放射免疫法检测血清中透明质酸（HA）、层连蛋白（IN）、Ⅲ型前胶原（PC-Ⅲ）、Ⅳ型胶原（Ⅳ-C）肝纤维化标志物;采用核扩增荧光定量检测HBVDNA。结果 随着年龄的不同血清肝纤维化标志物水平变化呈多样性,而各年龄组间的病毒含量差异无显著性（P〉0．05）。结论 肝炎患者HBV复制活跃,传染性强,但并不表明肝炎后肝病的严重程度。     

Quantitation of hepatitis B virus DNA in serum of patients with hepatoma

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in the serum of 31 patients with histologically confirmed primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC) from Malaysia and Indonesia was quantitated by densitometric scanning of autoradiograms obtained by Southern blot DNA hybridization, after electrophoresis using a 32P DNA cloned into plasmid pBR325 as a probe. This quantitation after electrophoresis is more informative than the usual spot hybridization technique. Five of the 31 sera were positive for HBV DNA. Levels ranged between 1.36 pq and 143.18 pq per ml of serum, and the levels of HBsAg, anti-HBs, anti-HBc, HBeAg and anti-HBe in the serum were serologically determined. All five sera positive for HBV DNA were also positive for HBsAg. Three of the five positive for HBV DNA were positive for HBeAg and negative for anti-HBe. Two of the sera positive for HBV DNA were negative for HBeAg but positive for anti-HBe. All sera negative for HBV DNA were also negative for HBeAg. Many sera which were negative for HBV DNA and HBeAg were positive for HBsAg. Of the 31 sera from PHC patients, 23 had at least one HBV marker positive (74.2%).     

Ultracentrifugation of serum samples allows detection of hepatitis C virus RNA in patients with occult hepatitis C

Occult hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection of patients with abnormal liver function tests of unknown origin who are anti-HCV and serum HCV RNA negative but who have HCV RNA in the liver has been described. As HCV replicates in the liver cells of these patients, it could be that the amount of circulating viral particles is under the detection limit of the most sensitive techniques. To prove this hypothesis, serum samples from 106 patients with occult HCV infection were analyzed. Two milliliters of serum was ultracentrifuged over a 10% sucrose cushion for 17 h at 100,000 x g(av), where av means average, and HCV RNA detection was performed by strand-specific real-time PCR. Out of the 106 patients, 62 (58.5%) had detectable serum HCV RNA levels after ultracentrifugation, with a median load of 70.5 copies/ml (range, 18 to 192). Iodixanol density gradient studies revealed that HCV RNA was positive at densities of 1.03 to 1.04 and from 1.08 to 1.19 g/ml, which were very similar to those found in the sera of patients with classical chronic HCV infection. Antigenomic HCV RNA was found in the livers of 56 of 62 (90.3%) patients with detectable serum HCV RNA levels after ultracentrifugation, compared to 27 of 44 (61.4%) negative patients (P < 0.001). No differences in the median loads of antigenomic HCV RNA between patients with an those without serum HCV RNA (4.5 x 10(4) [range, 7.9 x 10(2) to 1.0 x 10(6)] versus 2.3 x 10(4) [range, 4.0 x 10(2) to 2.2 x 10(5)]) were found. Alanine aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase levels, liver necroinflammatory activity, and fibrosis did not differ between both groups. In conclusion, HCV RNA can be detected in the sera of patients with occult HCV infection after circulating viral particles are concentrated by ultracentrifugation.     

白介素-32在HBV感染者的变化及其临床意义

目的:探讨乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)感染者血清中白介素-32(IL-32)水平的变化及其临床意义。方法:对100例HBV感染者和30例健康者检测外周血清白细胞介素-32(IL-32)的含量,比较IL-32水平变化的规律,并分析其与临床疾病谱和HBV复制水平的关系。结果:(1)急性乙型肝炎、中度慢性乙型肝炎、重度慢性乙型肝炎患者血清IL-32水平与对照组有显著性差异(P<0.001);轻度慢性乙型肝炎患者血清IL-32水平高于健康对照组,但无统计学意义(P>0.05);急性乙型肝炎、中、重度慢性乙型肝炎患者血清IL-32水平均显著高于轻度慢性乙型肝炎组,且有统计学意义(P<0.001);急性乙型肝炎、重度慢性乙型肝炎患者血清IL-32水平均高于中度慢性乙型肝炎组,有统计学意义(P<0.001);急性乙型肝炎、重度慢性乙型肝炎组之间无明显差异(P>0.05)。(2)HBV感染者HBV-DNA阳性组IL-32水平较阴性组为高,但无差异;高、中、低病毒载量组之间血清IL-32水平也无差异(P>0.05)。(3)慢性乙型肝炎患者不同ALT水平组血清IL-32水平均高于对照组(P<0.05);且低、中、高ALT水平组之间与I...     

Increased serum oxysterol concentrations in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Oxidative stress and dysregulated cholesterol metabolism are characteristic features of chronic hepatitis C virus infection (CHC). Therefore, we analyzed serum oxysterol profiles in CHC patients and examined the significance of oxysterols in CHC. The concentrations of 7α-hydroxycholesterol, 4β-hydroxycholesterol and 25-hydroxycholesterol as determined by LC–ESI–MS/MS were significantly elevated by +236%, +29% and +44%, respectively, in CHC patients compared with controls. Moreover, the elevated levels were significantly decreased by anti-viral therapy using PEGylated-interferon and ribavirin for 3 months. In contrast, 24S-hydroxycholesterol, 27-hydroxycholesterol and 7α-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one concentrations were not affected by CHC or anti-viral treatment. These results suggest that some oxysterols that are elevated in CHC are produced by cholesterol autoxidation due to oxidative stress or inflammation in the liver. Oxysterols may represent novel targets for the inhibition of disease progression and the prevention of hepatocarcinogenesis in CHC patients.     

Dynamic changes of hepatitis B virus polymerase gene including YMDD motif in lamivudine-treated patients with chronic hepatitis B

The mutation of YMDD motif of hepatitis B virus (HBV) polymerase gene is the most frequent cause in HBV resistant to lamivudine. The aim of the study was to investigate variation features of HBV polymerase gene in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients before and after lamivudine treatment. From the serum samples of five CHB patients before and after 12 months of lamivudine treatment, HBV polymerase gene was amplificated and positive DNA fragments were cloned into JM105 competent cell. Twenty positive clones of every sample were checked with mismatched polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and YMDD variants were sequenced. Among five patients after 12 months of lamivudine treatment, M552I mutations in two patients with HBV DNA rebounding and D553G mutation in one non-responder were detected except two patients with negative HBV DNA consecutively. In summary, D553G mutation is probably one of the reasons that caused non-responders during lamivudine treatment. The mutations of YMDD motif occurred after lamivudine treatment are caused by the induction of lamivudine.     

慢性乙型肝炎病毒感染自然史中HBsAg和HBsAb共存血清学模式分析

目的分析慢性乙肝病毒感染者HBsAg和HBsAb共存模式中血清学指标、HBV-DNA和肝酶等指标与自然病程的关系,探讨其临床意义。方法回顾性分析2016年重庆医科大学附属第一医院HBsAg和HBsAb双阳性患者的血清学指标、HBV-DNA和ALT、GGT检测结果,并对其感染的自然病程进行分析。结果 2016年该院HBsAg和HBsAb双阳性患者共520例,占全部HBV感染者的2.80%,占总送检标本数的0.42%。可分期的184例双阳性患者中,免疫耐受期47例(25.54%),免疫清除期17例(9.24%),低复制期108例(58.70%),再活动期12例(6.52%),HBsAg、HBsAg/HBsAb比值、HBV-DNA、ALT和GGT水平差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05),低复制期患者HBsAg/HBsAb比值均低于其他患者(P<0.05)。不同分期患者HBsAb、年龄和性别比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),且HBsAb水平均较低。284例资料完整HBsAg和HBsAb共存病例中HBV-DNA阳性136例,占47.89%。HBsAg浓度与HBV-DNA载量成正相关(r=0.295,P<0.05),HBsAb浓度与HBV-DNA载量之间没有显著相关性(r=0.04,P>0.05)。结论 HBsAg和HBsAb共存患者并不少见,与性别无关,可发生在各个年龄阶段,以低复制期患者为最多。HBsAg和HBsAb共存患者中HBsAb多以低浓度形式存在,且浓度与自然病程无关。HBsAb的出现并非代表患者体内病毒复制停止,在诊断及治疗HBsAg和HBsAb共存模式的乙肝病毒感染者时仍需结合HBV-DNA载量来判断感染状态。     

The relationship between core promoter mutation of hepatitis B virus, viral load and hepatitis B e antigen status in chronic hepatitis B patients

The aim of this study is to detect the possible association of hepatitis B virus (HBV) core mutation, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) status and the viral load in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. Sixty-six patients with CHB were enrolled. Hepatitis markers and hepatitis C virus antibody (HCV-Ab) were tested using micro particle enzyme immunoassay kits. Viral load was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the mutation was analyzed by nested PCR followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism. Most of CHB patients were HBeAg (-ve). The HBeAg status did not have an influence on the presence or absence of T1762/A1764 mutation. HBV-DNA serum level was not significantly different in patients with core mutation and patients without core mutation in HBeAg (-ve) group, while in HBeAg (+ve) group HBV-DNA serum level was significantly higher in patients with core mutation. This study reports the predominance of HBeAg (-ve) and HBV core promoter mutation.     

乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原-抗体复合物治疗慢性乙型肝炎患者病毒S基因变异研究

目的 研究应用乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原(HBsAg)-抗体复合物治疗性疫苗(YIC)治疗慢性乙型肝炎患者是否会诱生S基因免疫逃逸变异株的出现。方法 选取5例用30μg或60μgYIC治疗后血清乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)DNA水平下降>2log10、伴有乙型肝炎病毒e抗原(HBeAg)转阴应答,但在随访6个月后病毒DNA水平重复升高的患者作为研究对象,另选取1例对YIC治疗始终无应答患者和1例注射安慰剂患者作为对照,用聚合酶链反应(PCR)方法扩增治疗前(0周)及治疗后(44周)血清中HBV DNA的S基因、前-核心基因、核心基因启动子片段,并进行序列比对分析。结果 S基因“a”决定簇及前-核心基因均未发生变异,但YIC治疗后有3例HBV的核心基因启动子1762/1764位点序列有变异,另有2例在核心基因启动子的其他位点有核苷酸变异。结论 研究显示5例出现病毒重新复制的患者并非由于发生了病毒S基因逃逸变异所致。     

Serum levels of preS antigen (HBpreSAg) in chronic hepatitis B virus infected patients

Background

Viruses that are incorporating host cell proteins might trigger autoimmune diseases. It is therefore of interest to identify possible host proteins associated with viruses, especially for enveloped viruses that have been suggested to play a role in autoimmune diseases, like human herpesvirus 6A (HHV-6A) in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Results

We have established a method for rapid and morphology preserving purification of HHV-6A virions, which in combination with parallel analyses with background control material released from mock-infected cells facilitates qualitative and quantitative investigations of the protein content of HHV-6A virions. In our iodixanol gradient purified preparation, we detected high levels of viral DNA by real-time PCR and viral proteins by metabolic labelling, silver staining and western blots. In contrast, the background level of cellular contamination was low in the purified samples as demonstrated by the silver staining and metabolic labelling analyses. Western blot analyses showed that the cellular complement protein CD46, the receptor for HHV-6A, is associated with the purified and infectious virions. Also, the cellular proteins clathrin, ezrin and Tsg101 are associated with intact HHV-6A virions.

Conclusion

Cellular proteins are associated with HHV-6A virions. The relevance of the association in disease and especially in autoimmunity will be further investigated.     

Determination of hepatitis B virus DNA in serum by molecular hybridization

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA was detected by direct spotting of alkali-denatured serum on a nitrocellulose filter and molecular hybridization with cloned HBV DNA as the probe. Measurement of the autoradiographic signals as the intensity of hybridization allowed the quantitation of HBV DNA content in serum specimens in reference to cloned HBV DNA. Direct spotting of denatured serum was approximately three times as sensitive as the conventional method in which proteinase-treated serum was extracted with phenol-chloroform. The intensity of hybridization with 25 specimens of HB virion concentrates correlated well with DNA polymerase activity (r = 0.89, P less than 0.01).     

Cellular immune response to hepatitis B virus-encoded antigens in acute and chronic hepatitis B virus infection

The proliferative response of PBMC to hepatitis B virus (HBV) envelope, core, and e Ag was analyzed prospectively in 21 patients with acute self-limited HBV infection and compared with the response of patients with chronic HBV infection and different levels of HBV replication (i.e., hepatitis e Ag (HBeAg)- or anti-HBe-positive) and liver damage (i.e., chronic active hepatitis or chronic asymptomatic carriers). Our results indicate that: 1) HBV-infected subjects who develop a self-limited acute hepatitis show a vigorous PBMC response to hepatitis B core Ag and HBeAg, as expression of T cell activation; 2) appearance of a detectable lymphocyte response to HBV nucleocapsid Ag is temporally associated with the clearance of HBV envelope Ag; 3) in patients with chronic HBV infection the level of T cell responsiveness to hepatitis B core Ag and to HBeAg is significantly lower than that observed during acute infection; 4) T cell sensitization to HBV envelope Ag in acute and chronic HBV infection is usually undetectable and when measurable is expressed transiently and at low levels. These results may reflect immune events of pathogenetic relevance with respect to evolution of disease and viral clearance.     

慢性乙型肝炎潜在治疗靶点和新药研发进展

尽管预防性疫苗显著减少了乙型肝炎病毒(hepatitis B virus,HBV)新发感染,但目前全球仍有超过2.4亿慢性HBV感染者,其中每年因HBV感染相关的终末肝病和肝癌引起的死亡人数高达68万。目前用于慢性乙型肝炎(chronic hepatitis B,CHB)治疗的抗病毒药物包括干扰素和核苷/核苷酸类似物两大类,但均难以实现理想的临床治疗终点,即乙肝表面抗原(HBsAg)阴转或血清学转换。针对CHB患者尚未被满足的巨大医疗需求,国内外团队正在针对HBV生活周期的各个关键步骤以及潜在的宿主因子,尝试研发更为有效的CHB治疗药物,本文简要综述了当前处于临床开发阶段以及部分临床前阶段的CHB候选药物研发进展。