Hepatitis B Virus Reactivation Increased the Risk of Developing Hepatic Failure and Mortality in Cirrhosis With Acute Exacerbation.

Background And Aims: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation is a serious condition and has been extensively described in chemotherapeutic immunosuppressive population. However, little is known about HBV reactivation in immunocompetent patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). In this study, we evaluated the prevalence and the clinical significance of HBV reactivation in CHB patients with acute exacerbations.

Testosterone and Estradiol as Novel Prognostic Indicators for HBV-Related Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure.

HBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) has a high short-term mortality and urgently needs an early warning system with simplicity and high accuracy. Previous studies show that sex hormones play potential roles in the progression of HBV-related liver diseases. To explore the effect of testosterone and estradiol on the occurrence and prognosis of HBV-ACLF.

SARS-CoV-2 Quasispecies Provides an Advantage Mutation Pool for the Epidemic Variants.

The dynamics of quasispecies afford RNA viruses a great fitness on cell tropism and host range. To study the quasispecies features and the intra-host evolution of SARS-CoV-2, we collected nine confirmed patients and sequenced the haplotypes of spike gene using a single-molecule real-time platform. Fourteen samples were extracted from sputum, nasopharyngeal swabs, or stool, which in total produced 283,655 high-quality circular consensus sequences.

Effect of SARS-CoV-2 coinfection was not apparent on the dynamics of chronic hepatitis B infection.

In patients coinfected with SARS-CoV-2 and HBV, liver injury was common. However, the interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and HBV coinfection remained unknown. Sixty-seven COVID-19 patients from the previous cohort were enrolled and classified into 2 groups (7 with HBsAg+ and 60 with HBsAg-).

Copy number gain of pro-inflammatory genes in patients with HBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure.

Background: Host genetic factors such as single nucleotide variations may play a crucial role in the onset and progression of HBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). However, the underlying genomic copy number variations (CNVs) involved in the pathology are currently unclear.

Methods: We genotyped two cohorts with 389 HBV-related ACLF patients and 391 asymptomatic HBV carriers (AsCs), and then carried out CNV-based global burden analysis and a genome-wide association study (GWAS).

A patient with glycogen storage disease type Ia combined with chronic hepatitis B infection: a case report.

Background: Glycogen storage disease type I (GSD I), also known as von Gierk disease, is a metabolic disorder leading to the excessive accumulation of glycogen and fat in organs, characterized by hepatomegaly, hypoglycemia, lactic acidemia, hyperlipidemia, hyperuricemia, puberty delay and growth retardation, which can be indicated by height, weight, blood glucose and blood lipids.

Case Presentation: Here we present a 16-year-old male patient with GSD Ia complicated with hepatic adenoma and combined with hepatitis B. As a chronic hepatitis B patient, the patient was admitted to hospital in order to further clarify the nature of hepatic space occupancy because of suspicion of hepatocellular carcinoma.

A novel mutation in the BCHE gene and phenotype identified in a child with low butyrylcholinesterase activity: a case report.

Background: Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), an ester hydrolase produced mainly by the liver, hydrolyzes certain short-acting neuromuscular blocking agents, like succinylcholine and mivacurium that are widely used during anesthesia. Patients with BChE deficiency are possibly in danger of postanesthetic apnea. Hereditary BChE deficiency results from the mutations of BCHE gene located on chromosome 3, 3q26.

Effectiveness of PIVKA-II in the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma based on real-world clinical data.

Background: Protein Induced by Vitamin K Absence or Antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) is an efficient biomarker specific for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Some researchers have proved that levels of PIVKA-II reflect HCC oncogenesis and progression. However, the effectiveness of PIVKA-II based on real-world clnical data has barely been studied.

Genome-wide association study identifies HLA-DR variants conferring risk of HBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure.

Objective: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is an extreme condition after severe acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B; however, the underlying genetic factors involved in its onset and progression are currently unclear.

Design: We carried out a genome-wide association study among 399 HBV-related ACLFs (cases) and 401 asymptomatic HBV carriers (AsCs, as controls) without antiviral treatment. The initial findings were replicated in four independent case-control sets (a total of 901 ACLFs and 1686 AsCs).

Stability of Chronic Hepatitis-Related Parameters in Serum Samples After Long-Term Storage.

Background: Serum samples are widely used in clinical research, but a comprehensive research of the stability of parameters relevant to chronic hepatitis and the effect of a relatively long-term (up to 10 years) storage on the stability have rarely been studied.

Aims: To investigate the stability of chronic hepatitis-related parameters in serum samples after long-term storage.

Materials And Methods: The storage stability of common clinical parameters such as total bile acid (TBA), total bilirubin (TBIL), potassium, cholesterol, and protein parameters such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatine kinase (CK), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT), albumin, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and also hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 10 (CXCL10) were tested in serum samples after storing at -20°C or -70°C for 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, and 10 years.

Genetic variations in STAT4,C2,HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQ associated with risk of hepatitis B virus-related liver cirrhosis.

Recent genome-wide associated studies (GWASs) have revealed several common loci associated with the risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV)- or hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We selected 15 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified through GWASs on HBV- or HCV-related HCC, and genotyped them in two independent Chinese cohorts of chronic HBV carriers, including 712 LC cases and 2601 controls. The association of each SNP with the risk of HBV-related LC was assessed by meta-analysis of the two cohorts.

Effect of HLA-DP and IL28B gene polymorphisms on response to interferon treatment in hepatitis B e-antigen seropositive chronic hepatitis B patients.

Aim: The reason why the majority of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients do not respond to conventional interferon (IFN)-α or pegylated interferon (PEG IFN) treatment has not been formally demonstrated. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and response to IFN-α or PEG IFN therapy in Chinese patients with CHB.

Methods: Four SNPs among the HLA-DPA1, HLA-DPB1 (rs3077 and rs9277535) and IL28B (rs12979860 and rs8099917) regions were genotyped using the MGB-TaqMan SNP genotyping assay in 144 hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg) seropositive CHB patients who had received 6-12 months IFN-α or PEG IFN treatment.

Estrogen receptor alpha gene polymorphisms and risk of HBV-related acute liver failure in the Chinese population.

Background: The sexual dimorphism of hepatitis B virus (HBV) -related liver diseases is related with estrogen and its receptors. Recent reports indicate that abnormal expression of estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) may be a hallmark for the progression of liver disease and HBV carriers presenting variant ESR1 have an extremely aggressive clinical course. Here we examine whether the ESR1 polymorphisms or its haplotypes are related to HBV-related acute liver failure (ALF) risk among chronic HBV carriers in a Chinese population.

SLCO1B1 *15 haplotype is associated with rifampin-induced liver injury.

The organic anion transporting polypeptide 1B1 (OATP1B1, encoded by SLCO1B1) plays an important role in the transport of endogenous and xenobiotic compounds, such as bile acids and rifampin. In this study, the association between OATP1B1 polymorphisms and rifampin hepatotoxicity was investigated using integrated population genetic analysis and functional studies. A total of 273 unrelated patients treated with rifampin were recruited.

Relationship between HLA-DP gene polymorphisms and clearance of chronic hepatitis B virus infections: case-control study and meta-analysis.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a serious public health problem worldwide. Two common genetic variants (rs3077 and rs9277535) of human leukocyte antigen DP (HLA-DP) have been reported to be associated with persistent HBV infection in populations of Japan and Thailand. To confirm whether the association can be replicated in Chinese populations, an independent case-control study were conducted, and two polymorphisms (rs3077 and rs9277535) were genotyped using the TaqMan SNP genotyping assay in 282 persistent chronic HBV carriers and 64 spontaneously HBV recovered carriers.

A cis-acting regulatory variation of the estrogen receptor α (ESR1) gene is associated with hepatitis B virus-related liver cirrhosis.

The hepatic fibrogenesis and sexual dimorphism of hepatitis B virus-related liver cirrhosis (HBV-LC) are related to estrogen and its receptors. Abnormal expression of estrogen receptor α (ESR1) is implicated in the development of cirrhosis in both animal models and humans. Here, we examine whether the ESR1 polymorphisms are related to HBV-LC risk among chronic HBV carriers, and we investigate the functional significance of positively associated polymorphisms.

Association of TBX21 promoter polymorphisms with type 1 autoimmune hepatitis in a Chinese population.

The T-box transcription factor T-bet is a key regulator for the lineage commitment in CD4 Th1 cells and CD8 T cells by activating the hallmark production of interferon-γ, and its expression level is linked to autoimmune diseases. T-1993C and T-1514C polymorphisms in the TBX21 gene (encoding T-bet) promoter can affect transcription activity. We investigated the distributions of these functional polymorphisms in 84 adult patients with type 1 autoimmune hepatitis (AIH-1) and 318 healthy controls.

Association of TBX21 T-1993C polymorphism with viral persistence but not disease progression in hepatitis B virus carriers.

Aim: Transcription factor T-bet is responsible for the differentiation of naive T lymphocytes, and its expression level is linked with different responses to some viral infections, including hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. In this report we examine whether promoter polymorphisms of the TBX21 gene (encoding T-bet) are associated with susceptibility to HBV persistence or disease progression in chronic HBV carriers.

Methods: Three previously reported promoter polymorphisms, T-1993C, T-1514C and G-1499A, were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.

[Analysis of the correlation between the pre-S1 antigen, pre-S2 antigen and DNA of hepatitis B virus in the serum of chronic hepatitis B patients undergoing nucleoside analogue therapy.].

Objective: To investigate the dynamic correlation between pre-S1 antigen, pre-S2 antigen and HBV DNA in the serum of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients undergoing nucleoside analogue therapy.

Methods: 12 CHB patients with transient virological response after lamivudine treatment, and 20 patients treated with adefovir for 5 years were recruited in this study. Serum samples were collected at four time points when HBV DNA fluctuated sharply during lamivudine treatment, and at 0, 8, 12, 28, 52, 104, 156, 208, 260 weeks following adefovir treatment.