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Clinical application and research progress in hepatitis B virus quasispecies
En-Qiang Chen, Bing-Jun Lei, Hong Tang
En-Qiang Chen, Bing-Jun Lei, Hong Tang, Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University; Molecular Biology Division of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy (Sichuan University), Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
Supported by: the National Basic Research Program of China, No. 2007CB512902, No. 2006CB504302.
Correspondence to: Hong Tang, Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China. htang6198@hotmail.com
Received: January 16, 2008 Revised: February 22, 2008 Accepted: March 28, 2008 Published online: April 8, 2008
The phenomenon of quasispecies commonly exists in RNA virus. Although hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a kind of DNA virus, it has the same phenomenon. Moreover, every coding area of HBV has the characteristic of quasispecies. HBV exists and distributes in the form of quasispecies in hosts. The variation is closely related to the evolution of quasispecies. The diversity of variation is not only the fundamental reason for the generation of quasispecies, but also the initial factor of unceasing change in quasispecies, and the diversity and complexity of variation indicate those of quasispecies. The evolution of HBV quasispecies determines the patients' clinical manifestation and treatment response to antivirus drugs, and especially there is a close relationship between the composing of quasispecies and the resistance to antivirus drugs. The introduction of quasispecies can help us study HBV from the integral and dynamic angle and make a more reasonable prevention, diagnosis and treatment of HBV infection.
Key Words: Hepatitis B virus; Quasispecies; Resistance; Prognosis of disease
Citation: Chen EQ, Lei BJ, Tang H. Clinical application and research progress in hepatitis B virus quasispecies. Shijie Huaren Xiaohua Zazhi 2008; 16(10): 1086-1091
有关HBV感染者中是否存在HBV准种的分布, 国内外学者对此做了大量研究. Ngui et al[15]利用PCR克隆法和限制稀释操作的方法, 在某些携带HBV感染者中发现至少存在20多个变异株, 且这些变异株的基因序列具有高度同源性但又存在微小的差别. Laskus et al[16]在2个HBV感染患者的血清和外周血单核细胞中均发现大量的核心启动子和前C基因变异株, 同血清和PBMC中的优势变异株相比, 外周血单核细胞中少量变异株存在3-18位核苷酸的缺失. Ong et al[17]在对马来群岛患者的HBV测序时发现, 某些感染者体内可出现大量的前S/S基因变异株与野生株的共存. Kim et al[18]对同一来源的5个HBV克隆基因进行全长序列测定, 将这5份克隆基因的序列和37份参照序列进行多重对比发现, 他们的序列具有高度一致性, 但对他们的序列进行两两比较后发现, 彼此间又存在微小的差别, 说明HBV准种是确实存在的. 国内一些学者先后用PCR法分别克隆了数例慢性乙型肝炎患者血清中HBV基因的全基因组片段及前C/C基因、P基因(RT)、全S区、X基因, 证实了慢性乙型肝炎患者体内HBV准种特性的存在, 且与HBV功能有关的各基因区均有准种的发生[19-20].
3 HBV准种特点研究的临床应用
3.1 HBV准种的特点与持续感染及感染的慢性化有关
HBV准种中的免疫逃逸突变株成为优势种群是HBV持续感染及感染慢性化的重要原因. HBV最重要的免疫逃逸突变有S区的"a"抗原决定簇突变、C区的CTL识别位点突变及前C区的终止密码突变等[21]. 病毒因突变而改变了其对T细胞和B细胞的识别位点, 使CTL或抗病毒中和抗体对HBV及其抗原不能进行有效的识别和应答, 从而逃逸机体的免疫监视[22-24]. "a"抗原决定簇为外壳蛋白最重要的中和部位[25], Ren et al[26]发现S基因a决定簇单个氨基酸置换(T126I), 可影响HBsAg的抗原性, 逃避抗体中和,引起持续感染. Francois et al[27]在慢性HBV感染者体内发现大量前S2变异株, 因机体对这种变异株的清除能力弱且不影响其对肝细胞的黏附和穿透, 故认为前S2变异准株的大量出现是引发某些HBV的慢性感染重要原因. Günther et al[28]通过观察干扰素治疗慢性乙肝后HBV基因的变异, 证实干扰素治疗可引起HBV C基因的变异且增加准种的复杂性, 认为HBV清除的难易程度取决于准株的多寡. Tsai et al[29]研究发现HBeAg发生C抗原内部缺失突变后, 其T细胞识别位点将发生改变, 可以逃避免疫监视, 认为该类优势变异株的出现亦是乙型肝炎慢性化的一个重要原因.
3.2 HBV准种的特点与疾病的严重程度
Mathet et al[30]采用单链构象多态性和DNA序列分析法检测了HBV准种的发生概率, 发现不同疾病期的准种发生率存在显著差异性, 认为HBV基因准种的复杂性随疾病病情而增加, 其增加程度还与HBeAg阴性及基因型相关. 刘映霞 et al[31]通过对慢性乙型肝炎不同病型患者S区准种复杂性的差异进行分析后亦得出同样结论. 感染同一基因型的HBV, 体内HBV准种越多临床表现越严重, Wen et al[32]利用溶解曲线方法分析了32份无症状携带者和28名严重肝病患者血清中的准种, 结果提示慢性肝病患者中准种数量要比慢性无症状携带者要多. Kojima et al[33]通过对20例慢性乙型肝炎患者活检组织标本进行HBV DNA分析发现, 慢性乙型肝炎患者病情越严重, HBV基因前C/C区准种的发生率越高. Ohishi et al[34]用PCR-肽核酸钳法检测了慢性乙型肝炎患者使用拉米夫定治疗前后的HBV准株, 发现治疗前患者体内HBV准株数高于治疗后, 但优势准株数却较治疗后低. 长期使用拉米夫定, 当耐药突变株成为准种的优势株, 在引起耐药的同时, 可增加不良事件发生的概率, Liaw et al[35]报道了拉米夫定耐药患者有40.6%的患者会出现肝炎急性发作, Lok et al[36]通过回顾性分析一项长期拉米夫定耐药的安全性3期临床实验数据后发现, 相比于没有拉米夫定耐药的患者, 耐药者有更高的肝炎复发比率.
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