scholarly journals Diagnostic Value of Detection of Pregenomic RNA in Sera of Hepatitis B Virus-Infected Patients with Different Clinical Outcomes

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ni Lin ◽  
Aizhu Ye ◽  
Jinpiao Lin ◽  
Can Liu ◽  
Jinlan Huang ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Pregenomic RNA (pgRNA) is a direct transcription product of hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), and it plays important roles in viral genome amplification and replication. This study was designed to investigate whether serum pgRNA is a strong alternative marker for reflecting HBV cccDNA levels and to analyze the correlation between serum pgRNA, serum HBV DNA, and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). A total of 400 HBV-infected patients who received nucleos(t)ide analog (NA) therapy with different clinical outcomes were involved in this research. Case groups included asymptomatic hepatitis B virus carrier (ASC), chronic hepatitis B (CHB), liver cirrhosis (LC), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, with 100 patients in each group. The results showed that the levels of HBV pgRNA had significant differences between these 4 groups. Serum pgRNA levels correlated well with serum HBV DNA and HBsAg levels (HBV pgRNA levels versus HBV DNA levels, r = 0.58, P < 0.001; HBV pgRNA levels versus HBsAg levels, r = 0.47, P < 0.001). In addition, we focused on the 108 HBV-infected patients with HBV DNA levels of <500 IU/ml; it was surprising to find that in 17.57% (13/74) of cases, HBV pgRNA could be detected even when the HBV DNA level was below 20 IU/ml. In conclusion, HBV pgRNA levels in serum can be a surrogate marker for intrahepatic HBV cccDNA compared with serum HBV DNA and HBsAg. The detection of serum HBV pgRNA levels may provide a reference for clinical monitoring of cccDNA levels and the selection of appropriate timing for discontinuing antiviral therapy, especially when HBV DNA levels are below the detection limit.

Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 187
Author(s):  
Gian Paolo Caviglia ◽  
Angelo Armandi ◽  
Chiara Rosso ◽  
Davide Giuseppe Ribaldone ◽  
Rinaldo Pellicano ◽  
...  

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.


2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (10) ◽  
pp. 2972-2982 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuhua Gao ◽  
Yutang Li ◽  
Qinghua Meng ◽  
Zhanqing Zhang ◽  
Ping Zhao ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The study was designed to investigate whether serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) RNA is a strong surrogate marker for intrahepatic HBV covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) compared with serum HBV DNA, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. Serum HBV RNA, HBV DNA, HBsAg, HBeAg, and intrahepatic cccDNA were quantitatively detected at baseline ( n = 82) and 96 weeks ( n = 62) after treatment with nucleos(t)ide analogue (NUC) in HBeAg-positive CHB patients. The correlations among serum HBV RNA, HBV DNA, HBsAg, HBeAg, and intrahepatic cccDNA levels were then statistically analyzed. The results showed that pretreatment intrahepatic cccDNA levels correlated better with serum HBV DNA levels ( r = 0.36, P < 0.01) than with serum HBV RNA levels ( r = 0.25, P = 0.02), whereas no correlations were found between pretreatment intrahepatic cccDNA levels and HBsAg ( r = 0.15, P = 0.17) or HBeAg ( r = 0.07, P = 0.56) levels. At 96 weeks after NUC treatment, intrahepatic cccDNA levels correlated well with HBsAg levels ( r = 0.39, P < 0.01) but not with serum HBV RNA, HBV DNA, and HBeAg levels (all P > 0.05). Besides, the decline in the intrahepatic cccDNA level from baseline to week 96 correlated better with the reduction in the serum HBsAg levels than with the decreases in the levels of the other markers (for the HBsAg decline, r = 0.38, P < 0.01; for the HBV DNA decline, r = 0.35, P = 0.01; for the HBV RNA decline, r = 0.28, P < 0.05; for the HBeAg decline, r = 0.18, P = 0.19). In conclusion, the baseline serum HBV RNA level or its decline after 96 weeks of NUC therapy correlated with the corresponding intrahepatic cccDNA level, while it was less than that seen with serum HBV DNA at baseline and HBsAg (or its decline) at 96 weeks after treatment, respectively.


2018 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Wang ◽  
Xi Cao ◽  
Zhenzi Wang ◽  
Yuhua Gao ◽  
Juan Deng ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore the correlations of serum hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg) with intrahepatic Hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) and HBV total DNA in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. Serum HBcrAg and other parameters, including HBV DNA, HBV RNA, HBeAg, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were quantitatively measured at baseline and follow-up time points. Intrahepatic HBV cccDNA and total DNA were quantitatively detected at baseline and 96 weeks. Grading of liver necroinflammation and staging of hepatic fibrosis were assessed at baseline and 96 weeks. Correlations between serum HBcrAg and other parameters were analyzed by Pearson’s correlation analysis. The results showed that pretreatment HBcrAg correlated significantly with HBV total DNA levels (r = 0.328, P = 0.003) in 82 CHB patients, and, after removing three outliers, with intrahepatic HBV cccDNA (r = 0.323, P = 0.004; n = 79). Serum HBcrAg correlated better with HBV cccDNA in patients with lower levels of serum HBV DNA (stratified by 7 log IU/ml of HBV DNA; r = 0.656, P = 0.003 versus r = −0.02, P = 0.866). Significant inverse correlations were found between HBcrAg and grade of liver necroinflammation (r = −0.245, P = 0.037), stage of hepatic fibrosis (r = −0.360, P = 0.002) at baseline. Serum HBcrAg presented significant correlation with intrahepatic HBV cccDNA in patients with HBeAg seroconversion at 96 weeks (r = 0.622, P = 0.006). The decrease in HBcrAg showed significant correlation with the decrease in HBV cccDNA after 96-week NA therapy (r = 0.282, P = 0.043). Serum HBcrAg also correlated significantly with other serum markers at baseline and 96 weeks of NA therapy. In conclusion, baseline HBcrAg and its decreased value were significantly correlated with the corresponding intrahepatic HBV cccDNA.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiaxin Wu ◽  
Yongliang Feng ◽  
Zhiqing Yang ◽  
Ruijun Zhang ◽  
Dandan Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Many hepatitis B virus (HBV) substances could inevitably enter fetuses and occurred neonatal intrauterine transmission. HBV often occurs mutation, especially S gene, and may lead to different outcomes on intrauterine transmission. We explored the associations between HBV S gene mutations of hepatitis B surface antigen positive (HBsAg-positive) mothers and intrauterine transmission. Methods: A total of 399 HBsAg-positive mothers and neonates were recruited and their general demographic information was collected between June 2011 and July 2013. The mothers with HBV DNA levels ≥ 106 IU/ml were selected, 22 mothers whose neonates occurred HBV intrauterine transmission were in the HBV intrauterine transmission group (GT) and 22 mothers were randomly selected from the remaining controls were in the control group (GC). Maternal whole-genome HBV DNA was extracted, amplified, cloned, and sequenced. Obtained sequences were adjusted, genotyped, and analyzed for mutation rates. A case-control study was designed to analyze the relationship between mutations in the S gene of HBV and intrauterine transmission. Results: Fifty-five neonates were found to have experienced intrauterine transmission (13.78%). Genotype B (4.55%), genotype C (88.64%) and inter-genotype B/C (6.81%) were found in the 44 HBsAg-positive mothers. The mutation rates of the S gene, in both genotypes B (0.58% vs 1.41%, P = 0.040) and C (7.56% vs 14.71%, P<0.001), were lower in group T than in group C. Missense substitutions such as L84I, P47S, K10Q, A41P, M133L, A60V, and I42T only existed in group C. The mutation rates of G73S, I126T, and I126S in group C were higher (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P = 0.010). Deletions occurred in the S gene. The occurrence of intrauterine transmission with maternal mutation A90V was higher (P < 0.001). This may have increased the risk of neonatal HBsAg expression (P = 0.022). Conclusions: The HBV S gene mutations of HBsAg-positive mothers may reduce the occurrence of HBV intrauterine transmission. It is possible for HBsAg-positive mothers infected with A90V to develop HBV chronic infection and transmit it to the fetus during pregnancy, resulting in neonatal HBV infection.


Blood ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 101 (6) ◽  
pp. 2419-2425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Pierre Allain ◽  
Daniel Candotti ◽  
Kate Soldan ◽  
Francis Sarkodie ◽  
Bruce Phelps ◽  
...  

The risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission by transfusion in sub-Saharan Africa is considered to be relatively low, and testing of blood donors is often not done or is done relatively poorly. To re-examine this attitude, we identified HBV chronically infected blood donors from a major hospital in Ghana with a range of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) assays. Test efficacy was estimated using HBV DNA as a gold standard, and the risk of HBV infection in blood recipients was estimated for different testing strategies. Particle agglutination, dipstick, and enzyme immunoassay (EIA) HBsAg screening detected 54%, 71%, and 97% of HBV infectious donors, respectively. The risk of HBV transmission to recipients less than 10 years old ranged between 1:11 and 1:326 with blood unscreened and screened by EIA, respectively. For older recipients, the risk decreased a further 4-fold because of the high frequency of natural exposure to HBV. A total of 98% of HBsAg-confirmed positive samples contained HBV DNA. HBV DNA load was less than 1 × 104 IU/mL in 75% of HBsAg-reactive samples, most of them anti-HBe reactive. Approximately 0.5% of HBsAg-negative but anti-HBc-positive samples contained HBV DNA. The use of sensitive HBsAg tests is critical to prevent transfusion transmission of HBV infection to young children in a population with a 15% prevalence of chronic HBV infection in blood donors. However, this will not have much effect on the prevalence of this infection unless other strategies to protect children from infection are also advanced in parallel.


2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 605-611 ◽  
Author(s):  
Winnie Yeo ◽  
Tung C. Chan ◽  
Nancy W.Y. Leung ◽  
Wai Y. Lam ◽  
Frankie K.F. Mo ◽  
...  

Purpose Reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a well-recognized complication in cancer patients with chronic HBV (hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg] positive) undergoing cytotoxic chemotherapy. In patients who have resolved HBV (HBsAg negative and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen [anti-HBc] ± antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen [anti-HBs] positive), such incidence has been much less common until recent use of rituximab. In this study on HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc–positive lymphoma patients, the objectives were to determine the HBV reactivation rate in patients treated with rituximab-containing chemotherapy and to compare it with the rate in patients treated without rituximab. Patients and Methods Between January 2003 and December 2006, all patients diagnosed with CD20+ diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) had HBsAg determined before anticancer therapy. They were treated with either cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) alone or rituximab plus CHOP (R-CHOP). HBsAg-negative patients had anti-HBc determined; serum was stored for anti-HBs and HBV DNA. All patients were observed for HBV reactivation, which was defined as detectable HBV DNA with ALT elevation during and for 6 months after anticancer therapy. Results Among 104 CD20+ DLBCL patients, 80 were HBsAg negative. Of the latter, 46 patients (44.2%) were HBsAg negative/anti-HBc positive; 25 of these patients were treated with CHOP, and none had HBV reactivation. In contrast, among the 21 patients treated with R-CHOP, five developed HBV reactivation, including one patient who died of hepatic failure (P = .0148). Exploratory analysis identified male sex, absence of anti-HBs, and use of rituximab to be predictive of HBV reactivation. Conclusion Among HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc–positive DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP, 25% developed HBV reactivation. Close monitoring until at least 6 months after anticancer therapy is required, with an alternative approach of prophylactic antiviral therapy to prevent this potentially fatal condition.


2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 869-874 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Varisco ◽  
Mauro Viganò ◽  
Alberto Batticciotto ◽  
Pietro Lampertico ◽  
Antonio Marchesoni ◽  
...  

Objective.Patients with resolved hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, i.e., hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative/antihepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc)-positive, undergoing rituximab (RTX)-based chemotherapy for hematological malignancies without anti-HBV prophylaxis are at risk of HBV reactivation, but the risk in such patients receiving RTX for rheumatological disorders is not clear. We evaluated this risk in HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc–positive patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) undergoing RTX without prophylaxis.Methods.Thirty-three HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc–positive outpatients with RA with undetectable HBV DNA by sensitive PCR assay [73% women, median age 60 years, 85% with HBsAg antibodies (anti-HBs), 37% with antihepatitis B envelope antigen] received a median of 3 cycles of RTX (range 1–8) over 34 months (range 0–80) combined with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) without prophylaxis. All underwent clinical and laboratory monitoring during and after RTX administration, including serum HBsAg and HBV DNA measurements every 6 months or whenever clinically indicated.Results.None of the patients seroreverted to HBsAg during RTX treatment, but 6/28 (21%) showed a > 50% decrease in protective anti-HBs levels, including 2 who became anti-HBs–negative. One patient (3%) who became HBV DNA-positive (44 IU/ml) after 6 months of RTX treatment was effectively rescued with lamivudine before any hepatitis flare occurred. Among the 14 patients monitored for 18 months (range 0–70) after RTX discontinuation, no HBV reactivation was observed.Conclusion.The administration of RTX + DMARD in patients with RA with resolved HBV infection leads to a negligible risk of HBV reactivation, thus suggesting that serum HBsAg and/or HBV DNA monitoring but not universal anti-HBV prophylaxis is justified.


2011 ◽  
Vol 140 (8) ◽  
pp. 1469-1480 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. M. HAHNÉ ◽  
H. E. DE MELKER ◽  
M. KRETZSCHMAR ◽  
L. MOLLEMA ◽  
F. R. VAN DER KLIS ◽  
...  

SUMMARYWe aimed to assess differences in the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in The Netherlands between 1996 and 2007, and to identify risk factors for HBV infection in 2007. Representative samples of the Dutch population in 1996 and 2007 were tested for antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and HBV-DNA. In 2007, the weighted anti-HBc prevalence was 3·5% (95% CI 2·2–5·5) and the HBsAg prevalence was 0·2% (95% CI 0·1–0·4). In indigenous Dutch participants, the anti-HBc prevalence was lower in 2007 than in 1996 (P=0·06). First-generation migrants (FGMs) had a 13-fold greater risk of being HBsAg- and/or HBV-DNA-positive than indigenous Dutch participants. In indigenous Dutch participants, risk factors for anti-HBc positivity were older age and having received a blood product before 1990. In FGMs, being of Asian origin was a risk factor. In second-generation migrants, having a foreign-born partner and injecting drug use were risk factors. FGMs are the main target group for secondary HBV prevention in The Netherlands.


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