Hepatitis B virus harboring nucleotide deletions in the core promoter region and genotype B correlate with low viral replication activity in anti-HBe positive carriers.

BACKGROUND: Emergence of anti-HBe following seroconversion of HBe antigen indicates reduced hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication in the liver and low infectivity in the natural course of infection. However, some patients show continued replication or reactivation even in the presence of anti-HBe. OBJECTIVE: To clarify the cause of HBV replication, we investigated genotype differences and mutations in the core promoter and precore region in relation to virus titer. STUDY DESIGN: Using quantification of HBV DNA, nucleotide sequencing of the core promoter and precore region, and genotyping with the S gene by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), we analyzed sera of 26 anti-HBe positive carriers (28 serum samples). RESULTS: Various mutations were detected including C to T point mutation at nt 1653, A to T and G to A contiguous point mutations at nt 1762 and 1764 in the core promoter region, and G to A point mutation at nt 1896 in the precore region, but no common mutations were detected that were directly related to the virus titer from earlier reported mutations. In contrast, the mean titer of genotype B virus was 1.5 x 10(5) copies per ml and that of mutant HBV of genotype C having 8 base pairs (8-bp) deletion (nt 1768-1775) in the core promoter region was 7.9 x 10(4) copies per ml (mean titer). These titers showed commonly lower than that of genotype C virus without 8-bp deletion (median titer 5.0 x 10(6) copies per ml). Transition of genotype from C to B after viral reactivation and reduction of proportion of 8-bp deletion mutant at reactivation period was observed in a patient who demonstrated exacerbation of liver dysfunction due to immunosuppressive therapy and increased viral replication. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm those of our earlier study describing low replication ability of 8-bp deletion mutant HBV in vitro, and also indicate that the presence of genotype B correlates with reduced titer of HBV.