YMDD mutations and genotypes of hepatitis B virus in northern China

The objective of this research was to determine the relationship between YMDD mutations and the genotypes of hepatitis B virus (HBV) during lamivudine treatment. HBV genotypes were determined by nested PCR with 6 pairs of HBV genotype-specific primers (A to F) in serum specimens from 142 hepatitis B patients receiving lamivudine antiviral therapy. YMDD mutations were detected by fluorescent hybridization bioprobe PCR and melting curve assay (FH-PCR-MC). Among 142 serum specimens, 13 samples were genotype B (9.2%), 125 samples were genotype C (88%), 4 samples were genotype D (2.8%), and 80 YMDD mutations were found. The YMDD mutation rates were 69.2 and 54.4% in genotype B and genotype C, respectively. There was no significant difference in the YMDD mutation rate between genotypes B and C. Nine genotype B sera with YMDD mutations were found, including 2 YIDD mutations and 7 YVDD (M + V) mutations. Sixty-eight genotype C sera with YMDD mutations were found, including 34 mutations I (M + I) and 17 mutations V (M + V). There was a significant difference in the YMDD mutation types between genotypes B and C. Our results suggested that the YMDD mutation rate was 56.3% in patients treated with lamivudine for 2-4 years. YIDD was the main mutation type. The YMDD mutation rate showed no significant difference between HBV types B and C (P > 0.05), while the YMDD mutation types showed a significant difference between HBV types B and C in Northern China (chi2 test = 4.6, P < 0.05).     

Detection of YMDD motif mutations in some lamivudine-untreated asymptomatic hepatitis B virus carriers

BACKGROUND/AIM: It is well documented that long-term lamivudine treatment induces emergence of lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B virus (HBV), namely, YMDD motif mutation in some patients chronically infected with HBV. We previously reported that there were no YMDD mutant viruses in patients with chronic hepatitis B who were not treated with lamivudine. In this series, we examined mutations in the YMDD motif gene in asymptomatic carriers who maintained normal ALT values for 1 year or more. METHODS: Serum samples obtained from 18 patients chronically infected with HBV who consulted our university were used. None of these patients had any experience of using antiviral agents. For detection of mutant viruses, a kit developed in our laboratory was used. RESULTS: Mutations were detected in five of 18 samples: YMDD+YIDD in three samples and YMDD+YVDD+YIDD in two samples. All of these five samples were positive for anit-HBe. In five samples in which mutations were observed, sequencing was carried out following subcloning. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates that YMDD mutant viruses are present in lamivudine-untreated asymptomatic hepatitis B virus carriers as well.     

Detection of YMDD mutation using mutant-specific primers in chronic hepatitis B patients before and after lamivudine treatment

INTRODUCTIONHepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the most common infectious diseases in the world. More than 300 million people worldwide are estimated to have chronic HBV infection. Ten percent of these patients will die as a direct consequence of persistent viral infection[1]. Nucleoside analogue therapy allows safe, long-term suppression of HBV and is a major milestone in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. Lamivudine, the f irst of these agents approved worldwide, effectively supp…     

慢性乙型肝炎患者拉米夫定治疗24周时YMDD变异对疗效的影响

目的 使用基因芯片方法检测乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)YMDD变异的发生情况,研究YMDD变异发生与肝功能损伤和HBV复制水平指标之间的关系。方法 120例以常规剂量(100mg/d)口服拉米夫定的慢性乙型肝炎患者,治疗前和治疗第24周抽取血清检测丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、HBV DNA(定量)水平,对24周HBV DNA阳性的17例患者血清样本,以基因芯片方法检测其治疗前和治疗24周时血清中YMDD变异是否存在,并分析该变异发生和ALT、HBV DNA的关系。结果 (1)120例入选患者治疗24周时有17例患者HBV DNA仍为阳性,除外治疗前已存在的1例感染变异病毒,基因芯片共检出7例变异,变异率为5.8％。其中纯变异2例,YIDD变异1例,YVDD变异1例,混合变异5例,其中YMDD/YVDD变异3例,YVDD/YMDD变异2例。(2)变异组在治疗前和治疗24周时ALT定量水平与非变异组相比,差异无显著性,P>0.05。(3)变异组在治疗前和治疗24周时HBV DNA定量水平与非变异组相比,差异无显著性,P>0.05。结论 在拉米夫定治疗过程中,YMDD基因变异发生对肝脏炎症活动度和病毒复制的抑制作用无显著影响。     

Detection of YMDD mutant using a novel sensitive method in chronic liver disease type B patients before and during lamivudine treatment

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The emergence of lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B virus (HBV) was reported in patients with prolonged lamivudine administration. There was no report of the existence of tyrosine-methionine-aspartate-aspartate (YMDD) mutant in non-lamivudine treated chronic hepatitis B patients. In the present study, we developed a sensitive assay and applied it to the detection of YMDD mutant.METHODS: We developed peptide nucleic acid (PNA) mediated polymerase chain reaction clamping for detecting mutations in a YMDD motif of the hepatitis B virus DNA polymerase gene. We studied YMDD mutants in a patient with HBV DNA breakthrough longitudinally and in non-lamivudine treated patients (36 patients).RESULTS: We could detect as little as 0.01-0.001% of mutant viruses coexisting in 10(5)-10(9) copies of wild-type viruses using this assay. YMDD mutant was detected 7 months before clinical breakthrough, which was 6 months earlier than using the conventional restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. YMDD mutants were also detected in four of 18 anti-HBe antibody positive untreated chronic hepatitis type B: YMDD+tyrosine-valine-aspartate-aspartate (YVDD) in two patients and YMDD+tyrosine-isoleucine-aspartate-aspartate (YIDD) in two patients, however, none in HBe antigen positive patients.CONCLUSIONS: We developed a highly sensitive assay for detecting YMDD mutants. This is an effective procedure for monitoring patients during or before lamivudine treatment and can provide more insights into the therapeutic strategies for chronic hepatitis B patients.     

拉米夫定治疗中乙型肝炎病毒YMDD野毒株和变异株的变化

目的 观察慢性乙型病毒性肝炎(CHB)患者应用拉米夫定治疗前后,YMDD野毒株及变异株的动态变化,并分析其临床意义。方法 取5例CHB患者治疗前与治疗48周的10份血清标本,先用PCR法扩增包括YMDD基序的乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)部分核苷酸序列,然后进行DNA序列测定,同时分别进行克隆,每份标本随机挑选20～24株单克隆,用实时荧光PCR法检测YMDD野毒株及其变异株。结果 5例CHB患者治疗前PCR产物直接测序结果未检出YMDD变异,治疗48周时有4例检出YMDD变异,但对每株克隆的分别检测显示：治疗前YMDD变异株(YIDD／YvDD)所占比率分别为0％、9．5％、0％、4．5％、5．6％;治疗48周时所占比率分别为100％、100％、65％、100％、0％。其中1例患者治疗前检出YIDD变异株,而治疗48周时YVDD变异株则变成优势株。治疗52周时,4例YMDD变异患者中2例HBVDNA和血清丙氨酸转氨酶(ALT)突破,1例患者ALT突破,但HBVDNA为阴性。结论 YMDD变异株在拉米夫定治疗前的血清中已存在,在服用拉米夫定后,由于选择性抑制了野毒株,使YMDD变异株由弱势株变成优势株,部分患者可导致拉米夫定临床耐药。YVDD变异株可能比YIDD变异株的复制能力强。     

Detection of YMDD mutants using universal template real-time PCR

AIM: To establish a rapid and accurate method for the detection of lamivudine-resistant mutations in hepatitis B virus and monitor of lamivudine resistance during lamivudine treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection. METHODS: We established a real-time PCR method using a universal template and TaqMan probe to detect YMDD mutants. Variants of YVDD and YIDD were tested by individual reactions (reaction V and reaction I) and total hepatitis B viruses were detected in another reaction for control (reaction C). Results were determined by deltaCt < 3.5 (deltaCt = Ct of reaction V or I - Ct of reaction C). Clones of the HBV polymerase gene containing different YMDD mutations were tested. Serum samples from 163 lamivudine-treated patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection were detected using this method and the results were confirmed by DNA sequencing. RESULTS: As many as 1000 copies per milliliter of wide-type plasmid were detected and nonspecific priming was excluded. In the 163 samples from patients treated with lamivudine, lamivudine-resistant mutations were detected in 51 samples. CONCLUSION: This universal real-time PCR is a rapid and accurate method for quantification of YMDD mutants of HBV virus in lamivudine-treated patients and can be used to monitor lamivudine-resistant mutations before and during lamivudine therapy.     

拉米夫定抗乙型肝炎病毒感染中YMDD变异类型及时间研究

目的 研究拉米夫定抗乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)感染中P基因发生YMDD变异的类型和出现时间。方法 取拉米夫定治疗过程中HBV DNA由阴性再次转为阳性33例患者及HBV DNA始终保持阳性达一年或一年以上2例患者的血清,经PCR扩增HBV的P基因,对扩增产物进行测序及用3个限制性内切酶分析HBVP基因的YMDD变异。 结果 14例出现YMDD变异,其中6例YVDD变异,4例YIDD变异,3例YI/VDD混合变异,1例YI/MDD变异。变异出现时间平均为(11.07±3.65)个月,最短5个月,最长7个月。其中YIDD为(10.00±1.41)个月,YVDD为(11.67±4.41)个月,YI/VDD为(13.33±3.31)个月,三种变异类型的出现时间差异无显著性(F=0.543,P>0.05)。3例YMDD变异后拉米夫定加量至200mg/d,未能消除变异病毒。 结论 拉米夫定抗HBV感染后变异有多种形式,包括YIDD、YVDD、YI/VDD、YI/MDD。变异发生时间一般在治疗后(11.07±3.65)个月。变异类型与用药时间无关。     

Comparison of ligase detection reaction and real-time PCR for detection of low abundant YMDD mutants in patients with chronic hepatitis B

AIM： TO compare the ligase detection reaction （LDR） and real-time PCR for detection of low abundant YMDD mutants in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection. METHODS： Mixtures of plasmids and serum samples from 52 chronic hepatitis B patients with low abundant lamivudine-resistant mutations were tested with LDR and real-time PCR. Time required and reagent cost for both assays were evaluated. RESULTS： Real-time PCR detected 100, 50, 10, 1 and 0.1% of YIDD plasmid, whereas LDR detected 100, 50, 10, 1, 0.1, and 0.01% of YIDD plasmid, in mixtures with YMDD plasmid of 106 copies/mL. Among the 52 clinical serum samples, completely concordant results were obtained for all samples by both assays, and 39 YIDD, 9 YVDD, and 4 YIDD/YVDD were detected. Cost and time required for LDR and real-time PCR are 60/80 CNY （8/10.7 US dollars） and 4.5/2.5 h, respectively. CONCLUSION： LDR and real-time PCR are both sensitive and inexpensive methods for monitoring low abundant YMDD mutants during lamivudine therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B. LDR is more sensitive and less expensive, while real-time PCR is more rapid.