The relationship between HBV precore and basal core promoter mutations and serum cytokines in patients with chronic hepatitis B

Abstract:

ObjectiveTo study the characteristics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) precore G1896A mutation and basal core promoter (BCP) A1762T and G1764A mutations among HBeAgnegative and HBeAgpositive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients， and to explore the relationship between the above mutations and the serum levels of interferonγ (IFNγ) and interleukin10 (IL10) in these patients.Methods120 patients with HBV DNA positive CHB including 60 HBeAgnegative CHB (group A) and 60 HBeAgpositive CHB (group B)， and 60 healthy persons were enrolled in this study. The serum HBV DNA of group A and B were determined by realtime fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The HBV precore G1896A mutation and BCP A1762T and G1764A mutation in group A and B were detected by PCR  and direct sequencing. The levels of IFNγ and IL10 in serum were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsThe total incidence of precore and BCP mutations was 60.00%(72/120) in 120 patients, the incidence of precore and BCP mutation in group A and B was 80.00% (48/60) and 40.00% (24/60) respectively (χ2=20.00，P=0.000). The incidence of precore G1896A mutation (38.33%) and the united mutation (G1896A and A1762T and G1764A mutation,25.00%) in group A were significantly higher than those in group B (16.67%, 0.00%) (χ2=7.06，P=0.008； χ2=17.14，P=0.000).  The serum level of IFNγ in the mutation group were（102.33±27.20）pg/mL, which were significantly higher than （79.18±16.43）pg/mL in the nonmutation group (t=5.72，P=0.000) and （35.77±4.23）pg/mL in the healthy control group (t=19.33，P=0.000) .The serum level of IL10 in the mutation group were（28.13±7.00）pg/mL , which were  also significantly higher than（13.91±5.42）pg/mL in the nonmutation group(t=12.50，P=0.000) and （13.68±2.27）pg/mL in the healthy control group (t=15.65，P=0.000).ConclusionThe G1896A mutation and the united mutation commonly occur in the HBeAg negative CHB patients. The mutations of G1896A and A1762T/G1764A may be related to the serum increased levels of IFN γ and IL10.