[Study on a putative, proprotein convertase-cleaved product of HBV core protein in vitro].

Objective: To investigate the cleavage of HBV core protein in vivo by proprotein convertase furin or its family members and observe the intracellular localization of the putative cleaved product.

Methods: Recombinant HBV core protein was incubated with furin under different conditions in vitro, and the reaction was checked with Western blotting. The recombinant vectors expressed the putative cleaved fragment and intact core protein (serves as control) were constructed.

[A simple scoring system to evaluate the severity of acute-on-chronic liver failure in hepatitis B].

Objective: To establish an objective, simple and sensitive scoring system to evaluate the severity of acute-on-chronic liver failure in hepatitis B.

Methods: The clinical data of patients (194 survivals and 215 deaths) with acute-on-chronic liver failure in hepatitis B were collected and analyzed prospectively. 7 clinical indexes, including the hepatic encephalopathy, creatinine, prothrombin activity, serum total bilirubin, infection, the dimension of liver, the maximum depth of ascites, were scored objectively and simply from 0 to 4 points according to their severity.

Influence of a single nucleotide polymorphism in the P1 promoter of the furin gene on transcription activity and hepatitis B virus infection.

Unlabelled: Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) is a viral strategy of immune response evasion associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) persistence. Spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion is usually accompanied by liver disease remission. Unfortunately, this goal is difficult to achieve and requires expensive and time-consuming treatment.