Hepatitis B virus core promoter mutations in patients with fulminant hepatitis
Guo, Y.; Lu, Q.; Luo, K.
Zhonghua Shi Yan he Lin Chuang Bing du Xue Za Zhi 13(3): 251-254
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 1003-9279 PMID: 12569757 Document Number: 505874
To detect hepatitis B virus core promoter (CP) mutations in patients with fulminant hepatitis. Polymerase chain reaction amplified serum HBV DNA fragments were directly sequenced. There were 2-12 nucleotide substitutions in CP region in the 7 subacute fulminant hepatitis patients studied. An 11 bp nucleotides insertion was found in one patient. Mutations in CP were usually seen in the first and the second A T rich regions. The A to T mutation at nt 1,762 and G to A mutation at nt 1,764 were found in 4 cases, 3 of them were HBeAg negative. The third A T rich region was kept intact in all the 7 patients, so did the initial site of HBV replication (DR1) and the initial site of mRNA transcription (1,783/1784 or 1,790 +/- 1 for precore mRNA and 1818 for pregenome-C/P mRNA). CP mutations in patients with fulminant hepatitis are common, most of the CP variations occur in the first and the second A T rich regions, and these mutations may impede the transcription of precore mRNA and affect the expression of HBeAg.