Geographic Variation of Indigenous Hepatitis C Virus Subtypes 6g and 6w in an Endemic Area of Southern Taiwan

Abstract Background and Aims: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype (GT) 6 is the most genetically diverse GT and mainly distributed in Southeast Asia and south China but not Taiwan. Earlier studies showed the major GTs in Taiwan were GT 1b and GT 2 with very rare GT6 except in injection drug user and subtype 6a is the main GT 6 subtype among IDUs. Recently we reported a much higher prevalence (18.3%) of GT 6 in Tainan City, southern Taiwan. This study was designed to clarify the subtypes of GT 6 in this endemic area. Materials and Methods: A total 3022 (1343 men and 1679 women) HCV patients were enrolled. GT 6 subtypes were determined by sequencing of core/E1 and nonstructural protein 5B (NS5B) in 322 of 518 GT 6 patients. Results: The overall GT6 prevalence rate was 17.1% (518/3022) with higher prevalence districts located in northern Tainan. The major GT6 subtypes in Tainan were 6g (81.0%), followed by 6w (10.8%), 6a (7.5%), and 6n (0.7%).Conclusions: The high GT 6 prevalence in Tainan was mainly due to subtype 6g and 6w with characteristic geographic distribution, suggesting subtypes 6g and 6w could be indigenous in Tainan for centuries.

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Hepatitis C Virus Subtypes Novel 6g-Related Subtype and 6w Could Be Indigenous in Southern Taiwan with Characteristic Geographic Distribution

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v13071316 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 1316

Author(s):

Hung-Da Tung ◽

Pei-Lun Lee ◽

Jyh-Jou Chen ◽

Hsing-Tao Kuo ◽

Ming-Jen Sheu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Geographic Distribution ◽

Injection Drug Users ◽

Drug Users ◽

Endemic Area ◽

Nonstructural Protein ◽

Prevalent Subtype ◽

Southern Taiwan ◽

Tainan City

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype (GT) 6 is the most genetically diverse GT and mainly distributed in Southeast Asia and south China but not Taiwan. Earlier studies showed the major HCV GTs in Taiwan were GT 1b and 2 with very rare GT 6 except in injection drug users (IDUs), and subtype 6a is the main GT 6 subtype among IDUs. Recently, we reported a much higher prevalence (18.3%) of GT 6 in Tainan City, southern Taiwan. This study was designed to clarify the subtypes of GT 6 in this endemic area. A total of 3022 (1343 men and 1679 women) HCV viremic patients were enrolled. Subtypes of GT 6 were determined by sequencing of core/E1 and nonstructural protein 5B in 322 of 518 GT 6 patients. The overall GT 6 prevalence rate was 17.1% (518/3022), with higher prevalence districts (>25%) located in northern Tainan. A novel 6g-related subtype is the most prevalent subtype (81.0%), followed by 6w (10.8%), 6a (7.5%), and 6n (0.7%). The high GT 6 prevalence in Tainan was mainly due to a novel 6g-related subtype and 6w. These two subtypes could be indigenous in Tainan with characteristic geographic distribution.

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Geographic variation of genotype 6 hepatitis C virus infection in an endemic area of southern Taiwan

Journal of the Formosan Medical Association ◽

10.1016/j.jfma.2020.06.001 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 119 (12) ◽

pp. 1876-1880

Author(s):

Hung-Da Tung ◽

Pei-Lun Lee ◽

Jyh-Jou Chen ◽

Hsing-Tao Kuo ◽

Ming-Jen Sheu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Virus Infection ◽

Geographic Variation ◽

Endemic Area ◽

Hepatitis C Virus Infection ◽

Southern Taiwan

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Role for TBC1D20 and Rab1 in Hepatitis C Virus Replication via Interaction with Lipid Droplet-Bound Nonstructural Protein 5A

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.00496-12 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 86 (12) ◽

pp. 6491-6502 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

I. Nevo-Yassaf ◽

Y. Yaffe ◽

M. Asher ◽

O. Ravid ◽

S. Eizenberg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Virus Replication ◽

Lipid Droplet ◽

Nonstructural Protein ◽

Nonstructural Protein 5A

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DNA immunization encoding the secreted nonstructural protein 3 (NS3) of hepatitis C virus and enhancing the Th1 type immune response*

Journal of Viral Hepatitis ◽

10.1046/j.1352-0504.2003.00464.x ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 18-26 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

X. Jiao ◽

R. Y.-H. Wang ◽

Z. Feng ◽

G. Hu ◽

H. J. Alter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immune Response ◽

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Nonstructural Protein ◽

Dna Immunization ◽

Nonstructural Protein 3

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Mechanism of Zinc Ejection by Disulfiram in Nonstructural Protein 5A

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics ◽

10.1039/d0cp06360f ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ashfaq Ur Rehman ◽

Guodong Zheng ◽

Bozitao Zhong ◽

Duan Ni ◽

Jia-Yi Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Nonstructural Protein ◽

Structural Protein ◽

Positive Strand ◽

Positive Strand Rna ◽

Nonstructural Protein 5A

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a notorious member of the enveloped, positive-strand RNA flavivirus family. Non-structural protein 5A (NS5A) plays a key role in HCV replication and assembly. NS5A is...

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A Review of Hepatitis C Virus: Prevalence, Genotype, Risk Factors in Pakistan Last Quarter of Century

Journal of Life and Bio Sciences Research ◽

10.38094/jlbsr20140 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (01) ◽

pp. 26-30

Author(s):

Aetsam Bin Masood ◽

Zain Ul Abideen ◽

Muhammad Salman Anjums ◽

Muhammad Irfan

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Prevalence Rate ◽

Injection Drug Users ◽

Drug Users ◽

Educational Background ◽

Healthcare Waste ◽

Awareness Campaigns ◽

The Government

Hepatitis C virus has infected over 200 million people worldwide and is the most common blood-borne disease. Pakistan has the HCV prevalence rate of over 8%. A literature search has been performed using different keywords in different databases i.e. PubMed, Google Scholar, and NCBI. 6.2% prevalence rate was found in the general population, 4.13% in healthcare workers and a higher prevalence rate was observed in injection drug users and multi transfusion population. Use of injection was very frequent among the Pakistani population, reuse and sharing of syringes have an association with HCV infections. In Pakistan most prevalent genotype of HIV was 3a. Knowledge about HCV and its risk factors also varies with the educational background. Blood donors should be screened for HCV, awareness campaigns about different risk factors should be initiated at the government level, and strict regulation on healthcare waste should be implemented, these might help in preventing its spread to healthy individuals.

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Roles of the AX4GKS and Arginine-Rich Motifs of Hepatitis C Virus RNA Helicase in ATP- and Viral RNA-Binding Activity

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.74.20.9732-9737.2000 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 74 (20) ◽

pp. 9732-9737 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Shin C. Chang ◽

Ju-Chien Cheng ◽

Yi-Hen Kou ◽

Chuan-Hong Kao ◽

Chiung-Hui Chiu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Rna Binding ◽

Atp Hydrolysis ◽

Nonstructural Protein ◽

Binding Activity ◽

Viral Rna ◽

Atp Binding ◽

Rna Unwinding ◽

Arginine Rich Motif

ABSTRACT The nonstructural protein 3 (NS3) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) possesses protease, nucleoside triphosphatase, and helicase activities. Although the enzymatic activities have been extensively studied, the ATP- and RNA-binding domains of the NS3 helicase are not well-characterized. In this study, NS3 proteins with point mutations in the conserved helicase motifs were expressed inEscherichia coli, purified, and analyzed for their effects on ATP binding, RNA binding, ATP hydrolysis, and RNA unwinding. UV cross-linking experiments indicate that the lysine residue in the AX4GKS motif is directly involved in ATP binding, whereas the NS3(GR1490DT) mutant in which the arginine-rich motif (1486-QRRGRTGR-1493) was changed to QRRDTTGR bound ATP as well as the wild type. The binding activity of HCV NS3 helicase to the viral RNA was drastically reduced with the mutation at Arg1488 (R1488A) and was also affected by the K1236E substitution in the AX4GKS motif and the R1490A and GR1490DT mutations in the arginine-rich motif. Previously, Arg1490 was suggested, based on the crystal structure of an NS3-deoxyuridine octamer complex, to directly interact with the γ-phosphate group of ATP. Nevertheless, our functional analysis demonstrated the critical roles of Arg1490 in binding to the viral RNA, ATP hydrolysis, and RNA unwinding, but not in ATP binding.

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