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In vivo and in vitro expression of defective hepatitis B virus particles generated by spliced hepatitis B virus RNA
Author(s) -
Rosmorduc Olivier,
Petit MarieAnne,
Pol Stanislas,
Capel Francis,
Bortolotti Flavia,
Berthelot Pierre,
Brechot Christian,
Kremsdorf Dina
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.1840220103
Subject(s) - hbcag , hepatitis b virus pre beta , virology , hepatitis b virus , hepatitis b virus dna polymerase , hbeag , hepatitis b , virus , duck hepatitis b virus , hepatology , hepatitis , biology , hepadnaviridae , hbsag , medicine , surgery
The mechanisms involved in hepatitis B virus (HBV) persistence are still poorly understood. We have previously shown that the encapsidation of the singly spliced 2.2 kb‐HBV RNA leads to the secretion of circulating HBV defective particles in patients with chronic hepatitis. We have now investigated the presence of the HBV defective particles in sera from patients with acute and chronic hepatitis, using polymerase chain reaction. These defective particles were detected in a larger amount in sera of patients with acute hepatitis that progressed to chronic hepatitis, or had already developed chronic hepatitis, as compared with those who recovered from acute hepatitis (the increase was estimated to be an average of 50‐fold). In addition, we showed that the presence of these defective HBV particles is closely associated with the chronic course of hepatitis B virus infection and with viral multiplication. We also analyzed viral RNAs and proteins synthetized after in vitro transfection of Huh7 cell line with the corresponding defective hepatitis B virus DNA molecule. We showed that expression of the defective hepatitis B virus DNA alone leads to a marked intracellular accumulation of the major core protein (HBcAg) and to an increased secretion of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg). These observations may be consistent with a role of these defective hepatitis B virus (HBV) particles in viral persistence. (H EPATOLOGY 1995;21:10–19.)