Complete-genome analysis of hepatitis B virus from wild-born chimpanzees in central Africa demonstrates a strain-specific geographical cluster

In order to determine whether geographical or species clustering accounts for the distribution of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in subspecies of chimpanzees in Africa, four complete chimpanzee HBV (ChHBV) genome sequences were obtained from eight hepatitis B surface antigen-positive wild-born chimpanzees from Cameroon, Republic of Congo and Gabon. The serological profiles of these chimpanzees corresponded to the acute or chronic highly replicative phase of HBV infection, as confirmed by high plasma HBV loads. Analysis of the sequence alignment of 256 aa (S region) from the eight HBV-infected chimpanzees allowed us to determine the HBV amino acid patterns specific to each chimpanzee subspecies and to their geographical origin. Phylogenetic analysis of both the S region and the complete genome confirmed this distinctive clustering of eight novel ChHBV strains within Pan troglodytes. The strong phylogenetic associations of ChHBV sequences with both chimpanzee subspecies and their geographical origin were therefore confirmed.

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How Far we are towards Eradication of HBV Infection

Journal of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases ◽

10.15403/jgld.2014.1121.244.hbv ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 473-479 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Mihai Voiculescu

Keyword(s):

Immune Response ◽

Hepatitis B Virus ◽

T Cell ◽

Hepatitis B ◽

T Cell Receptors ◽

Hepatitis B Surface Antigen ◽

Hbv Infection ◽

Major Health Problem ◽

Cell Receptors ◽

B Virus

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major health problem with an important biological and a significant socio-economic impact all over the world. There is a high pressure to come up with a new and more efficient strategy against HBV infection, especially after the recent success of HCV treatment. Preventing HBV infection through vaccine is currently the most efficient way to decrease HBV-related cirrhosis and liver cancer incidence, as well as the best way to suppress the HBV reservoir. The vaccine is safe and efficient in 80-95% of cases. One of its most important roles is to reduce materno-fetal transmission, by giving the first dose of vaccine in the first 24 hours after birth. Transmission of HBV infection early in life is still frequent, especially in countries with high endemicity.Successful HBV clearance by the host is immune-mediated, with a complex combined innate and adaptive cellular and humoral immune response. Different factors, such as the quantity and the sequence of HBV epitope during processing by dendritic cells and presenting by different HLA molecules or the polymorphism of T cell receptors (TOL) are part of a complex network which influences the final response. A new potential therapeutic strategy is to restore T-cell antiviral function and to improve innate and adaptive immune response by immunotherapeutic manipulation.It appears that HBV eradication is far from being completed in the next decades, and a new strategy against HBV infection must be considered. Abbreviations: ALT: alanine aminotransferase; APC: antigen presenting cells; cccDNA: covalently closed circular DNA; HBIG: hepatitis B immunoglobulin; HbsAg: hepatitis B surface antigen; HBV: hepatitis B virus; HCC: hepatocellular carcinoma; CTL: cytotoxic T lymphocyte; IFN: interferon; NUC: nucleos(t)ide analogues; pg RNA: pre genomic RNA; TLR: toll-like receptors; TOL: T cell receptors.

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Quantification of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen: Is there a Role in HIV-Hepatitis B Virus Coinfection?

Aids Reviews ◽

10.24875/aidsrev.19000077 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Niyati Jakharia ◽

Shyam Kottilil ◽

Joel V. Chua

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis B Virus ◽

Hepatitis B ◽

Surface Antigen ◽

Hepatitis B Surface Antigen ◽

B Virus

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Hepatitis B Core-Related Antigen as Surrogate Biomarker of Intrahepatic Hepatitis B Virus Covalently-Closed-Circular DNA in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B: A Meta-Analysis

Diagnostics ◽

10.3390/diagnostics11020187 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 187

Author(s):

Gian Paolo Caviglia ◽

Angelo Armandi ◽

Chiara Rosso ◽

Davide Giuseppe Ribaldone ◽

Rinaldo Pellicano ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis B Virus ◽

Hepatitis B ◽

Hepatitis B Surface Antigen ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Circular Dna ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Hbv Cccdna ◽

B Virus ◽

Chronic Hbv ◽

Intrahepatic Hbv

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently-closed-circular (ccc)DNA is the key molecule responsible for viral persistence within infected hepatocytes. The evaluation of HBV cccDNA is crucial for the management of patients with chronic HBV infection and for the personalization of treatment. However, the need for liver biopsy is the principal obstacle for the assessment of intrahepatic HBV cccDNA. In the last decade, several studies have investigated the performance of hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg) as a surrogate of HBV cccDNA amount in the liver. In this meta-analysis, we collected 14 studies (1271 patients) investigating the correlation between serum HBcrAg and intrahepatic HBV cccDNA. Serum HBcrAg showed a high correlation with intrahepatic HBV cccDNA (r = 0.641, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.510–0.743, p < 0.001). In a head-to-head comparison, we observed that the performance of HBcrAg was significantly superior to that of hepatitis B surface antigen (r = 0.665 vs. r = 0.475, respectively, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that the correlation between HBcrAg and intrahepatic HBV cccDNA was high, both in hepatitis B e antigen-positive and -negative patients (r = 0.678, 95% CI 0.403–0.840, p < 0.001, and r = 0.578, 95% CI 0.344–0.744, p < 0.001, respectively). In conclusion, the measurement of serum HBcrAg qualifies as a reliable non-invasive surrogate for the assessment of an intrahepatic HBV cccDNA reservoir.

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