Role of TOMM34 on NF-κB activation-related hyperinflammation in severely ill patients with COVID-19 and influenza.

Background: Highly pathogenic respiratory RNA viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and its associated syndrome COVID-19 pose a tremendous threat to the global public health. Innate immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 depend mainly upon the NF-κB-mediated inflammation. Identifying unknown host factors driving the NF-κB activation and inflammation is crucial for the development of immune intervention strategies.

Inhibition of hepatitis B virus selective apoptosis modulation by Chinese patent medicine Liuweiwuling Tablet.

Background: Liuweiwuling Tablet (LWWL) is a Chinese patent medicine approved for the treatment of chronic inflammation caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Previous studies have indicated an anti-HBV effect of LWWL, specifically in terms of antigen inhibition, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear.

Aim: To investigate the potential mechanism of action of LWWL against HBV.

The role of Traditional Chinese medicine in anti-HBV: background, progress, and challenges.

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remains a major world's most serious public health issues. Despite the remarkable effect of nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) in inhibiting hepatitis B virus (HBV) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) as the first-line drug, there are several limitations still, such as poor antigen inhibition, drug resistance, low-level viremia, restricting patients' functional cure. Due to the constraints of NAs, traditional medicines, such as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), have become more prevalently used and researched in the clinical treatment of CHB as complementary alternative therapies.

Nucleos(t)ide analogues altered quasispecies composition of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-resistant mutations in serum HBV DNA and serum HBV RNA.

Serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) RNA is a new serological indicator reflecting viral replication with good clinical application prospects. This study aimed to clarify the dynamic changes of serum HBV RNA levels and the quasispecies of HBV RNA virus-like particles in nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs)-experienced chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients harboring NAs-resistant mutations and their identifiable effects on NAs resistance. We included CHB patients who were on long-term NAs treatment and with HBV DNA rebound.

Characteristics of HBV Novel Serum Markers across Distinct Phases in Treatment-Naïve Chronic HBV-Infected Patients.

Methods: A total of 111 patients in total from different disease phases were recruited, including 21 in immune-tolerant (IT) phase, 49 in immune-clearance (IC) phases, 29 in immune-control or low replicative (LR) phase, and 12 in reactivation phases. Serum HBV RNA, anti-HBc, HBcrAg, and intrahepatic covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) were quantified and each of these indicator's correlation with liver inflammation was analyzed.

Results: HBeAg-positive individuals had significant higher serum levels of HBV RNA and HBcrAg than those who were HBeAg negative, similar to that of serum HBV DNA.

Chinese Patent Medicine Liuweiwuling Tablet had Potent Inhibitory Effects on Both Wild-Type and Entecavir-Resistant Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Effectively Suppressed HBV Replication in Mouse Model.

Liuweiwuling Tablet (LWWL) is a licensed Chinese patent medicine (approval number: Z20060238) included in the national health insurance for anti-inflammation of chronic HBV infection, whereas its anti-HBV effect remains clarification. The study aimed to clarify its antiviral effect and related mechanisms. HepG2.

Investigation of multidrug-resistance mutations of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in a large cohort of chronic HBV-infected patients with treatment of nucleoside/nucleotide analogs.

Multidrug-resistance hepatitis B virus (MDR HBV), defined as those with mutations resistant to both nucleoside analogs lamivudine/telbivudine/entecavir (LAM/LdT/ETV) and nucleotide analog adefovir (ADV), has potential to cause treatment difficulty. To clarify clinical prevalence and virological features of MDR HBV, we investigated serum samples from 28,236 chronic HBV-infected patients with treatment of nucleoside/nucleotide analogs. All patients underwent resistance testing in the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital between 2007 and 2019.

The sK122R mutation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is associated with occult HBV infection: Analysis of a large cohort of Chinese patients.

Background: Occult HBV infection (OBI) is of great concern due to their complicated diagnosis and potential for public transmission.

Objective: The study aimed to determine the clinical prevalence of OBI and if viral immune escape-associated mutations contribute to the occurrence of OBI.

Study Design: A total of 91,037 HBV-infected patients with different related illnesses who were admitted to the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2005 to December 2017 were tested for OBI.

Hepatitis B virus mutation pattern rtA181S+T184I+M204I may contribute to multidrug resistance in clinical practice: Analysis of a large cohort of Chinese patients.

The study aimed to characterize the prevalence and virological features of the rtA181S + T184I + M204I mutant in a large cohort of patients with chronic HBV infection. In total, 22,009 nucleoside/nucleotide analog-treated patients who underwent resistance testing at the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital between 2007 and 2016 were enrolled. Serum samples were collected for HBV reverse-transcriptase gene sequencing.

Hepatitis B virus mutation pattern rtL180M+A181C+M204V may contribute to entecavir resistance in clinical practice.

Background And Aims: Entecavir (ETV) resistance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) conventionally requires rt184, 202, or 250 mutations plus lamivudine-resistance mutation (rtM204V/I ± L180M). This study aimed to clarify whether rtL180M+A181C+M204V mutations may contribute to HBV ETV resistance.

Methods: Serum samples were collected from 22,009 patients who underwent resistance testing in Beijing 302 Hospital from 2007 to 2016.

Chinese herbal extract Su-duxing had potent inhibitory effects on both wild-type and entecavir-resistant hepatitis B virus (HBV) in vitro and effectively suppressed HBV replication in mouse model.

This study aimed to investigate anti-HBV effect and major active compounds of Su-duxing, a medicine extracted from Chinese herbs. HBV-replicating cell lines HepG2.2.

Additional N-glycosylation mutation in the major hydrophilic region of hepatitis B virus S gene is a risk indicator for hepatocellular carcinoma occurrence in patients with coexistence of HBsAg/anti-HBs.

The study aimed to determine the association of additional N-glycosylation mutations in the major hydrophilic region (MHR) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) S gene with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurrence in HBsAg/anti-HBs coexistent patients. A total of 288 HBsAg/anti-HBs coexistent patients and 490 single HBsAg-positive patients were enrolled, including 193 with HCC, 433 with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and 152 with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). The HBV S genes were amplified from serum and sequenced.

Antigenicity reduction contributes mostly to poor detectability of HBsAg by hepatitis B virus (HBV) S-gene mutants isolated from individuals with occult HBV infection.

Mutations in hepatitis B virus (HBV) S gene are one of factors contributing to occult HBV infection (OBI). The study aimed to uncover the impact of OBI-related S-gene mutations on the detectability of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Nine representative mutations within the major hydrophilic region of the S region were investigated.

Characterization of hepatitis B virus (HBV) preS/S gene mutations in blood donors with occult HBV infection in the Baoji area of North China.

Background: Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OBI) in blood donors was investigated in the Baoji area of North China, and OBI-related viral mutations in donors were characterized.

Study Design And Methods: In total, 110,843 blood donor samples that were consecutively collected from December 2011 to March 2015 at the Baoji Blood Center were examined. Hepatitis B surface antigen-negative and HBV DNA-positive OBI samples were amplified for sequence analysis of OBI-related mutations in the HBV preS/S region.

Genome-wide association study identifies 8p21.3 associated with persistent hepatitis B virus infection among Chinese.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a common infectious disease. Here we perform a genome-wide association study (GWAS) among Chinese populations to identify novel genetic loci involved in persistent HBV infection. GWAS scan is performed in 1,251 persistently HBV infected subjects (PIs, cases) and 1,057 spontaneously recovered subjects (SRs, controls), followed by replications in four independent populations totally consisting of 3,905 PIs and 3,356 SRs.

Characterization of Novel Hepatitis B Virus PreS/S-Gene Mutations in a Patient with Occult Hepatitis B Virus Infection.

Objective: The impact of hepatitis B virus (HBV) preS/S-gene mutations on occult HBV infection (OBI) is not fully understood. This study characterized multiple novel HBV preS/S-gene mutants obtained from an OBI patient.

Methods: PreS/S-gene mutants were analyzed by clonal sequencing.

The rtL229 substitutions in the reverse transcriptase region of hepatitis B virus (HBV) polymerase are potentially associated with lamivudine resistance as a compensatory mutation.

Background: It remains unclear whether hepatitis B virus (HBV) reverse-transcriptase (RT) rtL229 substitutions influence HBV drug resistance.

Objective: The study was to investigate the association of HBV rtL229 substitutions with viral resistance to lamivudine (LAM).

Study Design: Entire HBV RT genes were amplified by nested PCR and sequenced from sera of 6000 nucleos(t)ide analog-experienced patients with chronic HBV infection.

Variable influence of mutational patterns in reverse-transcriptase domain on replication capacity of hepatitis B virus isolates from antiviral-experienced patients.

Background: Various mutations in reverse-transcriptase domain (RT) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) polymerase may develop during antiviral therapy. The influence of these mutational patterns on HBV replication capacity remains to be fully clarified.

Methods: Nine clones containing complete HBV genomes were isolated from 5 patients with chronic hepatitis B who had received antiviral treatment.

Acute hepatitis B infection associated with drug-resistant hepatitis B virus.

Background: Pre-existing antiviral-resistant hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been associated with primary non-response to lamivudine treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B, but little is known of the capacity for resistant HBV to cause primary infection.

Objective: The study was to investigate if Beijing patients with acute hepatitis B (AHB) are infected with drug-resistant HBV.

Study Design: Sera were collected from 201 NA-untreated patients with AHB.