BACKGROUND Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion is an important hallmark in the natural course of chronic hepatitis B. This study was designed to predict early HBeAg seroconversion within 1 year, by not only biochemical and virological markers, but also pathological parameters in patients with chronic hepatitis B. MATERIAL/METHODS In a retrospective cohort study, 234 patients with HBe...

BACKGROUND  We aimed to elucidate the impact of hepatitis B virus (HBV) precore/core gene mutations on spontaneous hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion, HBV biosynthesis, and the human immune responses in chronic HBV-infected patients. METHODS  We analyzed the HBV precore/core gene sequences by cloning method in 33 chronic HBV-infected patients during the inflammatory phase before spo...

The hepatitis B virus core gene codes for two polypeptides: the core protein, which assembles to form particles (HBcAg), and the secreted precore protein (HBeAg). Expression vectors directing the synthesis in Escherichia coli of a recombinant HBeAg corresponding in sequence to serum-derived HBeAg encompassing the 10 precore amino acids remaining after cleavage of the precursor and residues 1-14...

AIM To evaluate HBV quasispecies (QA) complexity in the preCore/Core regions in relation to HBeAg status, and explore QA changes under natural evolution and nucleoside analogue (NUC) treatment. METHODS Ultra-deep pyrosequencing of HBV preCore/Core regions in 30 sequential samples (baseline [diagnosis], treatment-free, and treatment-nonresponse) from 10 retrospectively selected patients groupe...

BACKGROUND Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) status and serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels are major factors affecting the prognosis of adult HBV carriers; however, the impact of viral load on long-term outcomes after spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion remains unclear. METHODS A total of 390 spontaneous HBeAg seroconverters with a long-term follow-up were enrolled. Serum HBV-DNA levels at 1 y...

BACKGROUND In this study, we aimed to identify baseline predictors of response in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with a combination of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN)-α2a and adefovir. METHODS We treated 92 chronic hepatitis B patients (44 hepatitis B e antigen [HBeAg]-positive and 48 HBeAg-negative) with HBV DNA > 100,000 copies/ml (> 17,182 IU/ml) with PEG-IFN and adefovir for 48 weeks...

We previously reported that hepatitis B virus (HBV) e antigen (HBeAg) inhibits production of interleukin 6 by suppressing NF-κB activation. NF-κB is known to be activated through receptor-interacting serine/threonine protein kinase 2 (RIPK2), and we examined the mechanisms of interleukin 6 regulation by HBeAg. HBeAg inhibits RIPK2 expression and interacts with RIPK2, which may represent 2 mecha...

Detection of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) in the sera of individuals infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) can indicate both a high infectivity of the disease and a poor prognosis of disease treatment. Most of monoclonal antibodies raised against HBV e proteins interact with immuno-dominant epitopes, such as HBeAg-beta. In order to raise antibodies against non-dominant epitopes of HBV e protei...

BACKGROUND Early age at infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) increases the risk of chronic HBV infection. In addition early age at infection may further increase the risk of persistent viral replication beyond its effect on chronicity. The effects of perinatal and early postnatal transmission on the risk of prolonged hepatitis B e antigenaemia in children with chronic HBV infection are not we...

In the phase-III GLOBE/015 studies, telbivudine demonstrated superior efficacy vs lamivudine during 2-year treatment in HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB). After completion, 847 patients had an option to continue telbivudine treatment for further 2 years. A total of 596 (70%) of telbivudine-treated patients, who were serum HBV DNA positive or negative and without genoty...