Author/Authors :
Ramezani ، Fatemeh Department of Virology, Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory - School of Public Health - Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Jazayeri ، Mohamad Department of Virology, Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory - School of Public Health - Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Monavari ، Hamid reza Department of virology - Iran University of Medical Sciences , Bokharaei-Salim ، Farah Department of virology - Iran University of Medical Sciences , Alavian ، Moayed Middle East Liver Diseases Center (MELD Centers) , Montazeri ، Ghodrat Digestive Disease Research Center - Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Norouzi ، Mehdi Department of Virology, Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory - School of Public Health - Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Daram ، Maryam Department of Virology, Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory - School of Public Health - Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Khedive ، Abolfazl Department of Virology, Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory - School of Public Health - Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Malekzadeh ، Reza Digestive Disease Research Center - Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Pourhoseingholi ، Mohamad Amin Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center - Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Rezaee ، Reza Department of Virology, Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory - School of Public Health - Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Magnius ، Lars Virological Department - Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control , Norder ، Helen Virological Department - Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control , Domingo ، E Centro de Biología Molecular-Severo Ochoa-(CSIC-UAM) - Universidad Autónoma de Madrid , Geravand ، B Department of virology - Iran University of Medical Sciences , Rahimnia ، R Department of Virology, Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory - School of Public Health - Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Namazi ، A Department of Virology, Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory - School of Public Health - Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Fakhari ، Z Department of Virology, Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory - School of Public Health - Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Keyvani ، H Department of virology - Iran University of Medical Sciences
Abstract :
Background and Aims: Naturally occuring hepatitis B virus (HBV) with surface mutations in a variety of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients who have received no vaccine or HBIG bearing substitutions in surface protein, have been reported. Current knowledge concerning the prevalence of these naturally occurring surface antigen mutations among Iranian carriers is limited. Materials and Methods: In a retrospective cross-sectional study, 119 HBV inactive chronic carriers were enrolled. The surface gene was amplified, sequenced and subsequently aligned using international and national sequence database. Results: All strains belonged to genotype D, subgenotype D1 and subtype ayw2. In 74 (62.18%) of patients, 146 (68.8%) out of 212 amino acid mutations occurred in different immune epitopes within surface protein, of which 28 (19.17%) in B cell, 37 (25.34%) in T helper and 81 (55.47%) inside CTL epitopes. 13 (8.9%) and 15 (10.27%) of amino acid substitutions occurred outside and within the “a” determinant in Major Hydrophilic Region (MHR). While 11 (9.24%) and 77 (64.7%) patients who harbored amino acid mutations, were HBeAg and anti-HBe positive, respectively (p=0.004). 9 and 63 amino acid mutations occurred in different HBsAg epitopes in HBeAg and anti-HBe positive patients, respectively (P=0.04). Conclusion: HBV mutants within the immune epitopes of surface Ag seem to be extremely common among chronic carriers from Tehran, especially those who are anti-HBe positive, indicating that after HBeAg seroconversion, due to the selection pressure of Ag e antibody, the occurrence of mutation is an inevitable effect of the evolutionary process.
Keywords :
HBsAg mutations , HBV genotype D , HBV Iran , HBsAg immune epitopes
