Metformin inhibits hepatitis B virus protein production and replication in human hepatoma cells

Hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) plays an important role in maintaining the tolerance and may interfere with host innate and adaptive immune responses; therefore, novel therapeutic strategies to reduce HBsAg loads in patients infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) are emerging as an attractive but challenging issue. Metformin could regulate hepatic metabolism while the latter interacts with HBV infection. We hypothesized that metformin could affect HBsAg expression and HBV replication and may work synergistically when combined with current antivirals. In our study, a notably inhibitory effect on HBsAg production, as well as a moderate inhibition in HBV replication and HBeAg expression was observed following metformin treatment. The 50% effective concentration (EC₅₀) for extracellular HBsAg and intracellular HBsAg in HBV‐producing HepG2.2.15 cells was 2.85 mm and 2.75 mm , respectively, with a similarly selective index of about 18. When administered in combination, metformin enhanced the inhibitory effects of interferon‐α2b on HBsAg expression and HBV replication and provided a complimentary role in HBsAg expression for lamivudine (LMV). This novel action of metformin derives partially from its inhibition on multiple HBV cis‐acting elements. By the virtues of preferably hepatocyte distribution and safety profile, collectively, our results suggest that metformin would be potentially clinically helpful as an HBsAg production inhibitor.     

Association of core promoter/precore mutations and viral load in e antigen-negative chronic hepatitis B patients

Apart from core promoter A1762T/G1764A and precore G1896A mutations, other hepatitis B virus (HBV) mutants are detected in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The aim of this study was to determine the effects of those mutants on clinical manifestation and viral loads of genotypes B and C HBV. Seventy-nine HBeAg-negative CHB patients with hepatitis flare were enrolled in this study and their HBV precore/core region were sequenced. Serial biochemical profiles and viral loads were assessed and compared. Fifty-three patients (67%) were infected by genotype B HBV and 26 (33%) were infected by genotype C HBV. The clinical manifestation and HBV viral loads were comparable between the two groups. However, genotype B was significantly associated with precore G1896A mutation (92.5%), and more mutations within nucleotide 1809-1817 were detected in patients infected by genotype B as compared with those infected by genotype C (18.9%vs 3.8%). Most of the cases had mutations at the -2, -3 or -5 position from the precore AUG initiation codon. Triple core promoter mutations T1753C/A1762T/G1764A [corrected] appeared to be linked to genotype C rather than genotype B HBV (19.2%vs 1.9%; P = 0.013). In multivariate analysis, the presence of either triple core promoter 1753/1762/1764 mutation or nucleotide 1809-1817 mutation was the only factor associated with lower HBV viral load (<70 Meq/mL) (odds ratio = 9.01; 95% CI 1.11-71.43; P = 0.04). In conclusion, minor HBV variants with mutations in the core promoter and precore region were detectable in genotypes B and C. Such HBV variants are genotype specific and related to viraemia levels.     

Concentrating missense mutations in core gene of hepatitis B virus

To elucidate the temporal relationship between liver damage and mutation(s) in hepatitis B virus core gene, serial sera from a progressive liver disease patient and an asymptomatic carrier were studied. By direct sequencing, missense mutations in the core gene were only found in serum from the progressive liver disease patient during the period with frequent exacerbation. Using methods of cloning and sequencing, missense mutations were also found in clones derived from the progressive liver disease patient at a relatively early phase, but strains with a missense mutation from earlier sera did not exist in sera of a later period. Furthermore, there was a tendency of concentrating missense mutations in clones derived from the progressive liver disease patient. These data suggested that missense mutations in the core gene that occurred at an earlier phase might evoke an immune response to eliminate mutated virus and that concentrating missense mutations during a phase of exacerbation might be a result of adaptive mutation.     

Effect of multiple mutations in the core promoter and pre-core/core region of hepatitis B virus genome on the response to interferon in e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genomic mutations may be one of the factors that influence the efficacy of interferon (IFN) therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of mutations in different parts of the HBV genome on IFN therapy. METHODS: We studied the baseline clinical, biochemical, serologic and virologic parameters in 17 patients with e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B. The DNA sequence of the X gene and pre-core/core gene in serum samples of these patients was analyzed before the initiation of IFN therapy. RESULTS: All five patients with the T1762-A1764 mutation were IFN responsive, while among the 12 remaining patients, only two responded to therapy. Among five patients with both a pre-core A1896 mutation and a mutation in the epitope aa 107-118 of the core region, four were non-responders whereas the fifth responded to therapy. In three other patients with A1896 mutations, one with simultaneous mutations in five lymphocytic epitopes did not respond to therapy; the two remaining patients with concomitant mutations in one or two epitopes were responsive. Serum HBV-DNA levels were lower and titers of antibody to hepatitis B virus core antigen-immunoglobin M (anti-HBc-IgM) were higher in the responders than in the non-responders. Hepatitis B virus genotypes B and C were found to be in all these Chinese patients. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that HBV genomic mutations, serum viral loads and titers of anti-HBc-IgM might be predictive of the efficacy of IFN therapy. These clinical findings should be further investigated by in vivo and in vitro experiments.     

Rapid response to cisplatin and doxorubicin in hepatocellular carcinoma complicated by hepatitis B virus reactivation

A young adult male with very advanced hepatitis B virus (HBV) associated hepatocellular carcinoma was treated 3 weekly with a combination of doxorubicin (30 mg/m² per day for 3 days by i.v. bolus) and cisplatin (90 mg/m² on the fourth day by i.v. infusion) and underwent a rapid partial response. However, the treatment resulted in the reactivation of HBV as evidenced by a rise in HBV-DNA. This is probably related to chemotherapy-induced immunodepression followed by a rebound phenomenon upon cessation of therapy. This observation calls for close surveillance of HBV positive patients on cytotoxic and/or immuno-suppressive therapy.     

Nucleotide sequence of a hepatitis B virus genome of subtype adw isolated from a Philippine: Comparison with the reported three genomes of the same subtype

The complete nucleotide sequence was determined for a hepatitis B virus genome of subtype adw (pFDW294) isolated and cloned from the plasma sample of a Philippino. The genome was 3221 base-pair long with a point mutation at the 1376th nucleotide that affected the coding capacity of the P and X genes. There was a wide range of sequence divergence among pFDW294 and the reported three genomes of the same subtype (1.1–9.9%), occurring more often in the pre-S region and the S gene than in the pre-C region and the C gene.     

慢性HBV感染者抗病毒治疗前HBV基本核心启动子及前C区突变的检测及意义

目的研究慢性乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）感染者抗病毒治疗前HBV基本核心启动子（BCP）突变和前C区（PreC）突变与HBeAg、HBV DNA水平和慢性肝病进展的关系。方法收集283例慢性HBV感染者抗病毒治疗前的血清标本,其中慢性乙型肝炎（CHB）185例,肝硬化（LC）98例。采用PCR后直接测序法检测HBV BCP和PreC区突变,同时确定基因型。结果在HBeAg阴性和HBeAg阳性CHB患者中,前C区A1896变异率分别为44.6%（37/83）和21.6%（22/102）（χ2=11.154,P=0.001）,LC患者分别为43.4%（23/53）和17.0%（8/47）（χ2=8.101,P=0.004）。在HBeAg阳性患者中,BCP T1762/A1764双突变率LC组和CHB组分别为89.4%（42/47）和70.6%（72/102）（χ2=6.310,P=0.012）。在单变量分析中,只有年龄（≥45岁）（χ2=27.861,P〈0.001）、BCP T1762/A1764双突变（χ2=8.675,P=0.003）和HBV DNA（≥105拷贝/ml）（χ2=20.499,P〈0.001）与LC进展有关。多因素Logistic回归分析（匹配年龄和性别）发现,BCP T1762/A1764双突变（OR=3.260,95%CI：1.401～7.586;wald=7.517,P=0.006）和HBV DNA（≥105拷贝/ml）（OR=4.640,95%CI：2.331～9.237;wald=19.089,P〈0.001）是LC进展的危险因素。结论前C区A1896突变与HBeAg的消失有关;年龄（≥45岁）、BCP T1762/A1764双突变和HBV DNA高载量（≥105拷贝/ml）与肝硬化进展有关。     

Molecular epidemiology of hepatitis B virus in Indonesia

The S-gene sequences of hepatitis B virus (HBV) from 22 carriers in several islands of Indonesia were amplified by polymerase chain reaction, and XbaI-SpeI fragments corresponding to nucleotides 93-529 (437 base pairs) in the S gene were sequenced. The 22 sequences, along with the 5 reported sequences from Indonesia, were compared with each other, and with the corresponding sequences of 20 clones from other countries including China, France, Great Britain, Japan, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, USA and USSR. When the 27 HBV DNA clones of various subtypes from Indonesia were classified by the homology in the nucleotide sequence into the five genotypes, twelve belonged to genotype B (subtype adw 7 and ayw 5), 13 to genotype C (adw 1, adr 10, ayr 1 and ar 1), and 2 to genotype D (ayw); none belonged to genotype A or E. Different subtypes of clones in the same genotype indicated that point mutations inducing d-to-y or w-to-r phenotypic changes would be common among Indonesian carriers. Comparison of the translation products of XbaI-SpeI fragments, now available for 47 HBV DNA clones of different genotypes (A 4; B 14; C 21; D 7; E 1), identified several amino acids characteristic to or influenced by the five genotypes as well as those highly conserved by clones of different genotypes.     

焦磷酸测序技术检测HBV基本核心启动子变异的研究

目的建立HBV基本核心启动子（BCP）区变异的快速检测方法。方法采用焦磷酸测序（pyrose-quencing）技术,设计一对引物,其中一条经生物素标记,PCR扩增产物含HBVBCPA1762T／G1764A双突变的区域,借用生物素包被葡聚珠纯化单链PCR产物,设计一条测序引物,运用焦磷酸测序技术对A1762T／G1764A两个变异点进行变异分析。通过对已知变异类型的HBV分离株进行测定分析,评价所建立方法的检测敏感性和特异性。结果PCR扩增后,可在2h内得到A1762T／G1764A两个变异点的突变情况。所建立方法的检测灵敏度达到HBV．DNA血清中的含量为10^3copies／ml;在所分析的HBVBCP区均可检测出变异株、非变异株及混合株,且所检测的结果与直接测序方法结果符合率为95％。结论Pyrosequencing技术用于检测病毒基因突变有高通量、自动化程度高和结果准确等特点,适用于对HBVBCP区突变进行快速高通量检测。     

Quantitative detection of hepatitis B virus DNA in sera from patients with acute hepatitis B

Two hundred forty-four serial serum samples from 30 adults hospitalized with benign (nonfulminant) acute hepatitis B were tested for the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA by a quantitative solution hybridization assay using a¹²⁵I-labeled DNA probe complementary to HBV-DNA sequences. Acute hepatitis B was self-limiting in 28 and progressed to chronicity in the remaining two patients. Of the 28 patients with self-limiting hepatitis, 21 (75%) were hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive, 26 (93%) were HBV-DNA positive, and one patient (3.6%) was negative for both markers on admission to the hospital. HBV-DNA cleared after HBeAg clearance in 20 (71.4%), before HBeAg clearance in five (17.9%) and simultaneously with the loss of HBeAg in the remaining two (7.1%) of the 27 initially HBV-DNA- and/or HBeAg-positive patients. Moreover, HBV-DNA remained detectable in serum for 13.3±6.6 (range: 4–22) days after the appearance of anti-HBe in 71.4% of these patients. In contrast, HBV-DNA and HBeAg remained persistently positive in the two patients who developed chronic HBV infection. These data show that: (1) viremia frequently persists after disappearance of HBeAg and (2) appearance of anti-HBe does not indicate the cessation of HBV replication in adults with acute self-limiting hepatitis B.     

Detection of HBV core promoter and precore mutations helps distinguish flares of chronic hepatitis from acute hepatitis B

Background and Aim: Acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B has to be distinguished from acute hepatitis, because treatment strategies differ between them. Methods: Mutations in the core promoter and precore region of hepatitis B virus (HBV) were determined in 36 patients with acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B, in whom alanine aminotransferase (ALT) increased above 500 IU/L, as well as the 36 patients with acute hepatitis. Results: Mutations in the core promoter (A1762T/G1764A) and precore region (G1896A) were more frequent in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis than acute hepatitis (81% vs 19%; P < 0.0001 and 58% vs 6%; P < 0.0001, respectively). Of the 19 patients with mutations in both the core promoter and precore region, 17 (89%) had acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis. In contrast, among the 32 patients with the wild‐type for both the core promoter and precore region, 29 (89%) developed acute hepatitis. By multivariate analysis, the double mutation in the core promoter was predictive of acute exacerbation in chronic hepatitis with the highest odds ratio at 26.4. Conclusions: In patients with hepatitis B having ALT levels >500 IU/L, mutations in the core promoter and precore region are useful in distinguishing acute exacerbation of chronic from acute HBV infection. Detection of these mutations would be useful for commencing prompt antiviral treatments on patients with acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis for a better prognosis.     

乙型肝炎病毒前C区和BCP区突变及基因型对HBeAg表达的影响

研究乙型肝炎病毒前C区和BCP区突变及基因型对HBeAg表达的影响。分别用基因芯片和基因测序的方法检验HBV DNA阳性的乙型肝炎病毒前C区和BCP区突变及基因型,应用时间分辨免疫荧光法检测HBeAg含量,按照有无HBV前C区1896、BCP区1762、1764双突变、基因型等指标进行分组分析。无前C区1896和BCP区1762/1764双突变组、单纯1762、1764双突变和1896突变组以及1896、1762、1764联合突变组之间相互比较,HBeAg含量相差显著,F=6.47,P〈0.01;B、C基因型间HBeAg含量相比,相差无显著性,t=0.1394,P〉0.05。乙型肝炎病毒前C区和BCP区突变能显著影响HBeAg量的表达,从而导致乙型肝炎病毒致病能力的变化。     

Correlation of hepatitis B core antigen and beta-catenin expression on hepatocytes in chronic hepatitis B virus infection: relevance to the severity of liver damage and viral replication

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The topographical distribution of hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) is related to the pathogenesis of liver damage caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. beta-catenin plays an important role in both intracellular adhesion and Wnt signaling transduction pathways. This study investigated the intrahepatic expression of HBcAg and beta-catenin in chronic HBV infection, and correlated the results with the degree of liver damage and viral replication. METHOD: Liver sections from 73 patients with chronic HBV infection were examined immunohistochemically for HBcAg and beta-catenin. RESULTS: The distribution of HBcAg could be classified into four types: only nucleus (C-1), both nucleus and cytoplasm (C-2), only cytoplasm (C-3) and all negative for nucleus and cytoplasm (C-4). Significant differences in serum aminotransferase level, HBV DNA and necroinflammatory score were observed among the different distribution types, and as the distribution of HBcAg changed from C-1 to C-4, fibrosis stage and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) negative/anti-HBe positive rate increased concurrently. The distribution of beta-catenin could be classified into two types: only membrane (B-1) and membrane with nucleus or cytoplasm (B-2). B-2 showed higher serum aminotransferase level and necroinflammatory score than B-1. Between B-1 and B-2, there was no significant difference in serum HBV DNA level or fibrosis stage. CONCLUSIONS: In chronic HBV infection, HBcAg distribution may change from C-1 to C-4 gradually, and in correlation with serum aminotransferase, and HBV DNA and HBeAg negative/anti-HBe positive rate. Nuclear or cytoplasmic distribution of beta-catenin, compared with exclusive membranous distribution of beta-catenin, is related to active hepatitis, but not viral replication.     

乙型肝炎病毒前C/BCP区变异的研究现状

HBV的前C区及基本核心启动子（BCP）变异可降低HBeAg的合成与分泌,也可增加病毒复制能力,导致HBeAg阴性慢性乙型肝炎（CHB）,对临床产生重要的影响。本文就HBV前C/BCP区变异的分子机理、生物学意义、实验室检测以及对临床和抗病毒治疗的影响等方面的研究进展作一综述。