The cost of publication in Journal of Biomedical Science is borne by the National Science Council, Taiwan.
Research
A pre-S gene chip to detect pre-S deletions in hepatitis B virus large surface antigen as a predictive marker for hepatoma risk in chronic hepatitis B virus carriers
1 Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China
2 Institute of Basic Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China
3 Center for Signal Transduction and Gene Regulation, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China
4 Division of Infectious Diseases, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China
5 Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics, Department of Pathology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China
6 Department of Radiology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China
Journal of Biomedical Science 2009, 16:84 doi:10.1186/1423-0127-16-84
Published: 15 September 2009Abstract
Background
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is an important cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. The pre-S1 and -S2 mutant large HBV surface antigen (LHBS), in which the pre-S1 and -S2 regions of the LHBS gene are partially deleted, are highly associated with HBV-related HCC.
Methods
The pre-S region of the LHBS gene in two hundred and one HBV-positive serum samples was PCR-amplified and sequenced. A pre-S oligonucleotide gene chip was developed to efficiently detect pre-S deletions in chronic HBV carriers. Twenty serum samples from chronic HBV carriers were analyzed using the chip.
Results
The pre-S deletion rates were relatively low (7%) in the sera of patients with acute HBV infection. They gradually increased in periods of persistent HBV infection: pre-S mutation rates were 37% in chronic HBV carriers, and as high as 60% in HCC patients. The Pre-S Gene Chip offers a highly sensitive and specific method for pre-S deletion detection and is less expensive and more efficient (turnaround time 3 days) than DNA sequencing analysis.
Conclusion
The pre-S1/2 mutants may emerge during the long-term persistence of the HBV genome in carriers and facilitate HCC development. Combined detection of pre-S mutations, other markers of HBV replication, and viral titers, offers a reliable predictive method for HCC risks in chronic HBV carriers.
