Immunopathogenesis of hepatitis B virus recurrence after liver transplantation

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) recurrence after orthotopic liver transplantation is associated with inflammatory graft changes, despite immunosuppression and donor/recipient HLA mismatch. We investigated whether immune mechanisms are involved in the pathogenesis of hepatitis B after liver transplantation. METHODS: The virus-specific T helper (Th) cell response, activation of Th1/Th2 subpopulations, donor/recipient HLA, and expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha/TNF receptors were determined in 28 patients who underwent transplantation for HBV-related cirrhosis (17 with HBV recurrence and 11 without recurrence) in comparison to 30 nontransplant patients with chronic hepatitis B. RESULTS: Orthotopic liver transplantation recipients with HBV recurrence showed significant hepatitis B core antigen-specific T-cell proliferation, comparable to nontransplant patients, which was not present in transplant recipients without recurrence. In addition, hepatic and serum interleukin (IL)-2, interferon-gamma, and TNF-alpha were enhanced, without changes in IL-4 and IL-10. Phenotypically, hepatic infiltrates in allografts with HBV recurrence were comprised of CD4+ lymphocytes and macrophages with a correlation between interferon-gamma- and TNF-alpha-producing cells and the degree of necroinflammatory activity. There was a marked up-regulation of both TNF-alpha receptors, significantly greater than in nontransplant patients. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that despite immunosuppression, HLA class I-independent immune mechanisms have a significant pathogenic role in liver damage associated with HBV recurrence after liver transplantation.     

Prevention of hepatitis B virus recurrence after liver transplantation

Abstract:  Liver transplantation for hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related liver disease has changed from a contraindication to outcomes comparable with non-HBV-related liver transplantations during the last two decades. Mainly the implementation of immunoprophylaxis with hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) and the use of nucleoside analogs such as lamivudine and adefovir account for this dramatic change. The standard of care in most centers today consists of lamivudine treatment in replicating hepatitis B pre-orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) and a combination regimen of lamivudine and HBIG post-OLT. With adefovir, a potent antiviral drug became available in recent years that allows for the treatment of patients with lamivudine-resistant tyrosine-methionine-aspartate-aspartate (YMDD)-mutant HBV. In the transplantation setting, first studies indicate that a triple prophylactic therapy consisting of lamivudine, adefovir, and HBIG will become the standard of care for YMDD-mutant-related hepatitis B. With new drugs emerging for the treatment of chronic HBV, there is optimism for new options also in the transplant setting.     

Outcomes of hepatitis B virus recurrence after liver transplantation

The introduction of high doses of hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) and lamivudine for liver transplantation (OLT) prophylaxis has reduced the risk of hepatitis B recurrence and improved the survival of patients transplanted for hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related liver disease. But, posttransplant prophylaxis strategies to treat the recurrence of HBV have not yet been standardized. We analyzed 23 patients with HBV recurrence among 340 HBV-associated liver transplants performed from September 1996 to April 2004 (6.7%). Nine patients underwent deceased donor OLT and 14, living donor OLT. Mean follow-up was 37 months. Seroconversion after recurrence was observed in 6 of 23 patients (26%). Mean time to HBV recurrence tended to be shorter among the seroconversion (+) patients compared to seroconversion (-) patients (10 months vs 19.7 months; P = .062). Seroconversion rate after HBIG and lamivudine combination therapy for patients with HBV recurrence was 37.5% and time to seroconversion after HBV recurrence was 1.7 months. Seroconversion was best achieved when the pretransplant HBV DNA level was high and HBeAg was positive. Also, seroconversion rate was increased when HBV DNA level was low and the alanine transferase level high at the time of recurrence and when the time to recurrence after transplantation was short. Seroconversion after HBV recurrence, which was observed in 26%, may be increased in selected cases. Accordingly, aggressive treatment should be undertaken after HBV recurrence.     

Antiviral treatment for hepatitis B virus recurrence following liver transplantation

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors associated with the recurrence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) following liver transplantation (LT) for HBV‐related disease and to recognize the outcome of treatment for HBV recurrence with oral nucleos(t)ide analogues. Six hundred and sixty‐seven LTs were performed for HBsAg‐positive adult patients in our institute from 1996 to 2010. HBV prophylaxis was performed by hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) monotherapy or HBIG and entecavir combination therapy. There were 63 cases (11.4%) of HBV recurrences during a median follow‐up of 51 months. The median time to HBV recurrence was 22 months. A preoperative HBV DNA load of more than 10⁵ IU/mL, HBIG monotherapy, and hepatocellular carcinoma in the explant liver were independent risk factors for HBV recurrence following LT in multivariate analysis. Patient survival at 10 yr was 54.2% for HBV‐recurrent patients. Among patients with HBV recurrence, HBsAg seroclearance was achieved in 13 patients (20.6%), but HBsAg seroclearance did not affect survival in these patients after the recurrence of HBV (p = 0.28). The recurrence of HBV led to graft failure in six cases. HBV recurrence should be prevented by strict management of pre‐transplant HBV viremia and an effective post‐transplant HBV prophylaxis.     

Prevention of hepatitis B virus recurrence after living donor liver transplantation

The emergence of lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B mutations is a major complication during pretransplantation treatment. The proper time to begin Lamivudine before transplantation is not yet known. Twenty-six patients received preoperative lamivudine treatment followed by combined lamivudine and hepatitis B immunoglobulin after transplantation up to December 2002. The length of preoperative lamivudine treatment ranged from 13 to 200 days (mean, 52 +/- 37 days). Hepatitis B virus-DNA was positive in 22 of 26 (84.6%) patients before preoperative lamivudine prophylaxis and persistently positive among only 4 of 22 patients (18%) who at transplantation did not show a viral mutation. In all patients, hepatitis B virus-DNA became negative immediately after transplantation. At a median follow-up of 34 months, neither a hepatitis B recurrence nor a mutation had occurred in any patient. The ability to schedule the proper time for preoperative lamivudine prophylaxis is an advantage of living donor liver transplantation.     

Prophylaxis of hepatitis B virus recurrence after liver transplantation in carriers of lamivudine-resistant mutants.

The combination of lamivudine and hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) reduces the risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) recurrence after liver transplantation (LT). However, the efficacy of this strategy and the need for combined therapy with adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) in patients who select lamivudine-resistant strains (YMDD) before surgery is still unknown. Twenty-two patients treated with lamivudine (LAM) who underwent LT after YMDD-mutant selection were studied. In 13 patients, YMDD mutants were associated with an HBV DNA breakthrough greater than 5 log10 (group A: phenotypic resistance), and 11 were treated with ADV to decrease viral load before LT. In the remaining 9 patients who did not experience the viral breakthrough, YMDD mutants were detected only retrospectively in sera stored at the time of LT (group B: genotypic resistance). During 35 months of post-LT follow-up, none of the 11 patients of group A treated with ADV before and after surgery (in addition to HBIG and LAM) had HBV recurrence, and neither did any of the 7 subjects of group B treated with LAM before and after transplantation (in addition to HBIG). HBV recurred in 2 patients of group A (untreated with ADV before surgery and transplanted with an HBV DNA exceeding 5 log10) and in 2 subjects of group B (who spontaneously stopped HBIG after surgery). In carriers of YMDD mutants, the risk of post-LT HBV recurrence is low, provided that preemptive and prophylactic ADV (in addition to LAM and HBIG) treatment is used in highly viremic patients and prophylactic LAM (or ADV) and HBIG therapy is continued in low viremic patients.     

Viral persistence after liver transplantation for hepatitis B virus: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Prophylaxis to prevent recurrent HBV infection in liver transplant (LT) recipients has evolved over time, and we manage patients who receive lamivudine monoprophylaxis, lamivudine with HBV immunoglobulin (HBIg), and lamivudine and adefovir with HBIg. METHODS: Serum was examined with sensitive assays to detect the persistence of HBV, and to identify mutations that might confer resistance to the antiviral prophylaxis. Forty patients were studied, and sera were collected 20 days to 13.3 years after LT. RESULTS: Overall, HBV DNA was detected in serum of 67.5% of patients (8 of 10 of lamivudine monoprophylaxis patients, 15 of 24 of those receiving lamivudine and HBIg, and 4 of 6 of those receiving lamivudine, adefovir and HBIg). Thus, HBV infection persists for most of the patients despite successful prophylaxis after LT. Of those patients with detectable serum HBV DNA, three of eight of the lamivudine monoprophylaxis group had sequences associated with resistance to lamivudine (YMDD mutants), compared with only 1 of 15 of the lamivudine and HBIg cohort. Three of the lamivudine and HBIg cohort had the I126A Hepatitis B surface antigen escape variant. In those serum HBV DNA-positive patients who were receiving lamivudine, adefovir, and HBIg, only one of four had YMDD mutant, and none had Hepatitis B surface antigen escape variants. None of the 40 patients suffered clinical HBV recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Our observations imply that the selection of resistant virus may be essential, but is not sufficient to cause overt failure of prophylaxis with development of clinical disease. It seems likely that the patients' immune response contributes, at least partially, to the long-term control of infection in these patients.     

肝移植术后乙型肝炎复发的回顾性分析

目的:回顾性分析肝移植术后乙型肝炎(乙肝)复发的发病及防治情况.方法:对我院1994年5月～2003年3月因乙肝相关性终末期肝病接受肝移植手术病人进行回顾性分析,调查其术前、术后乙肝相关检查及复发情况.结果:在351例病人中,围手术期(术后30 d以内)因感染、多脏器功能衰竭等各种原因而死亡的病人59例.生存>30 d的292例病人中有19例出现乙肝复发,乙肝复发率为6.51%(19/292),其中未使用任何预防措施的7例病人中,复发率为71.43%(5/7);单用拉米夫定的15例病人中,复发率为13.33%(2/15),拉米夫定联合低剂量乙肝免疫球蛋白(HBIG)的270例病人中,复发率为4.44%(12/270).3组病人复发率比较具有统计学差异(P<0.001).乙肝复发时间在0.3～66.6个月(中位值为6.1个月);复发后采取加用或改用阿德福韦(Adefovir)或恩替卡韦(Enticavir)等措施,疾病得到控制.结论:核苷类似物联合低剂量HBIG的应用能有效预防肝移植术后乙肝复发,及时发现及治疗可改善乙肝复发病人预后.定期监测术后长期生存病人的乙肝标记物及HBV-DNA十分重要.     

肝移植术后乙肝复发预防策略

移植是目前治疗肝炎肝硬化终末期的有效手段,但术后乙肝复发或再感染是导致移植肝失功的主要原因,严重影响移植病人的预后.因此,预防乙肝复发是肝移植整体工作的一项重要环节.现结合昆明医学院第一附属医院器官移植中心50例病例进行分析总结.     

肝移植后乙型肝炎病毒再感染的检测

目的 检测乙型肝炎所致的终末期肝病患者肝移植前、后血清乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）DNA的含量，探讨HBV再感染的检测方法。方法 采用荧光定量聚合酶链反应（FQPCR）技术检测275例乙型肝炎所致终末期肝病患者肝移植前以及肝移植后1周、1个月、3个月的血清HBVDNA含量，同时采用酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA法）检测HBV标志物。结果 275例血清标本中，术前乙型肝炎表面抗原（HBsAg）、乙型肝炎核心抗体（抗-HBc）均为阳性；HBsAg、乙型肝炎e抗原（HBeAg）及抗-HBc阳性者的血清HBVDNA均为阳性；HBsAg、乙型肝炎e抗体（抗-HBe）及抗-HBc阳性者73．8％的血清HBV DNA阳性；HBsAg及抗-HBc阳性者67．6％的血清HBVDNA阳性。术后1周患者的HBsAg及HBVDNA均为阴性。术后1个月，69例HBsAg转为阳性，其中48例（69．6％）HBVDNA为阳性。术后3个月，137例HBsAg为阳性，其中104例（75．9％）HBVDNA为阳性。结论 乙型肝炎所致的终末期肝病患者肝移植后HBV的再感染率较高，应用FQPCR检测HBVDNA含量能更准确地反映体内HBV的复制情况，可与HBV标志物检测互补。     

拉米夫定联合小剂量乙型肝炎免疫球蛋白预防肝移植术后乙型肝炎病毒复发

目的:初步探讨拉米夫定联合小剂量乙型肝炎免疫球蛋白预防肝移植术后乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)复发的疗效。方法:35例HBV相关疾病病人接受肝移植后使用拉米夫定联合小剂量乙型肝炎免疫球蛋白(HBIg)预防HBV复发,同时监测乙型肝炎血清标志物、血清HBV鄄DNA、YMDD区变异及肝活检组织乙型肝炎标记物免疫组化。结果:本组病例平均获随访557d,结果5例(14.3%)出现了HBV复发:复发病例中2例HBV鄄DNA阳性,无YMDD变异。病人术前HBeAg状态与肝移植术后HBV复发间无明显相关(P>0.05),而术前HBV鄄DNA阳性的病人术后HBV复发率显著增加(P<0.05)。结论:拉米夫啶联合小剂量HBIg预防肝移植术后HBV复发的近期疗效较为肯定。术前HBV鄄DNA状态是影响术后HBV复发的重要因素。     

乙肝相关性终末期肝病肝移植后乙肝复发的防治

目的探讨乙肝相关性终末期肝病肝移植术后乙肝病毒再感染的防治。方法回顾性分析我院1999年10月到2007年10月肝移植109例乙肝相关性终末期肝病患者,移植后给予抗病毒预防乙型肝炎病毒再感染,拉米夫定治疗组50例、拉米夫定和乙肝免疫球蛋白（乙肝免疫球蛋白）联合治疗组59例,观察临床表现,血清HbsAg、血清HbeAg、血清HBVDNA及必要时肝穿刺免疫组织化学检测HbsAg等指标。结果109例接受了3个月一8年的抗病毒治疗随访。①拉米夫定治疗组50例,10例复发,复发率为20％,复发病例中2例分别于术后5个月、8个月死于乙肝复发爆发性肝炎;余8例给予阿德夫韦和乙肝免疫球蛋白后,肝功能好转,目前在随访中。②拉米夫定和乙肝免疫球蛋白联合治疗59例,2例复发,给予调整免疫抑制药后,肝功能好转。两组比较差异有统计学意义（χ^2=7．622,P〈0．05）。结论用拉米夫定和乙肝免疫球蛋白联合应用可以有效预防肝移植后乙型肝炎病毒的再感染。     

Pretransplantation pre-S2 and S protein heterogeneity predisposes to hepatitis B virus recurrence after liver transplantation

Liver transplantation (LT) in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection often is complicated by recurrence of infection despite immunoglobulin treatment. To evaluate whether variability in HBV genomic sequences and the target of antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen action in pre-LT samples may be associated with a high recurrence rate, HBV pre-S/S regions of 14 HBV-positive candidates for LT (in 9 of these patients, HBV infection subsequently recurred) were amplified and sequenced. Two hundred ninety-one mutations in 1,167 sequenced nucleotides (24.9%) were found. Of these, 120 mutations (10.2%) led to an amino-acid change. The only significant difference between patients with and without recurrent disease was in the number of mutations in the pre-S2 region (total mutations, P = .042; missense mutations, P = .012) of pre-LT HBV DNA. In addition, a difference in amino-acid level was present in the pre-S2 region (P = .030). The delay in HBV infection recurrence was proportional to the number of pre-LT HBV mutations in the pre-S2 and S genes: the higher the number, the longer the interval between LT and recurrence of infection (pre-S2, P = .0124; S, P = .0060; total number of mutations in S protein, P = .0421). In conclusion, pre-LT determination of pre-S/S gene sequence variability showed that heterogeneity of the pre-S2 and, to a lesser extent, S genes was associated with a greater chance for HBV recurrence. Modification of B-cell epitopes of S, but especially of pre-S2, protein leading to conformational changes and alterations in the viral encapsidation and secretion process may facilitate HBV recurrence and contribute to the failure of immune globulin therapy. (Liver Transpl 2002;8:443-448.)     

肝移植后乙肝复发的预防和治疗

目的 探讨原位肝移植治疗乙型肝炎相关疾病的效果及Lamivudine在防治肝移植后乙肝复发中的作用。方法　10例患者接受了原位肝移植,其中9例男性乙肝患者,1例女性为肝癌患者,术前无乙肝感染。9例乙肝患者6例并有不同程度的肝性脑病,1例并肝肾综合征,1例并上消化道大出血。9例乙肝中7例服用Lamivudine预防术后乙肝复发。结果8例存活2-15月,2例死亡。存活的8例中7例为乙肝患者,仅1例术后6月出现HBsAg（+）,但全部均肝功能良好;另1例为肝癌患者,术后出现乙肝。死亡的2例中1例为术后乙肝复发暴发性肝功能衰竭所致,另1例死于术后多器官功能衰竭。结论 原位肝移植加Lamivudine是治疗乙肝的有效方法,Lamivudine在观察期内可预防乙肝移植后乙肝复发。     

肝移植后乙型肝炎的复发和防治

目的 探讨乙型肝炎所致肝硬变患者施行原位肝移植后乙型肝炎复发的影响因素、临床诊断和治疗方案。方法 ２例乙型肝炎后肝硬变晚期患者在原位肝移植前后接受了基本相同的抗乙型肝炎病毒（ＨＢＶ）治疗。结果 １例术前乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原（ＨＢｓＡｇ）、ｅ抗原（ＨＢｅＡｇ）和ＨＢＶ ＤＮＡ均阳性的患者,术后２个月时乙型肝炎复发,死于乙型肝炎复发所致的肝、肾功能衰竭;另１例仅ＨＢｓＡｇ和ＨＢｅＡｇ阳性的患者术后已存