Not uncommon: HBV genotype G co-infections among healthy European HBV carriers with genotype A and E infection

  • Background & Aims: HBV genotype G (HBV/G) is mainly found in co-infections with other HBV genotypes and was identified as an independent risk factor for liver fibrosis. This study aimed to analyse the prevalence of HBV/G co-infections in healthy European HBV carriers and to characterize the crosstalk of HBV/G with other genotypes. Methods: A total of 560 European HBV carriers were tested via HBV/G-specific PCR for HBV/G co-infections. Quasispecies distribution was analysed via deep sequencing, and the clinical phenotype was characterized regarding qHBsAg-/HBV-DNA levels and frequent mutations. Replicative capacity and expression of HBsAg/core was studied in hepatoma cells co-expressing HBV/G with either HBV/A, HBV/D or HBV/E using bicistronic vectors. Results: Although no HBV/G co-infection was found by routine genotyping PCR, HBV/G was detected by specific PCR in 4%-8% of patients infected with either HBV/A or HBV/E but only infrequently in other genotypes. In contrast to HBV/E, HBV/G was found as the quasispecies major variant in co-infections with HBV/A. No differences in the clinical phenotype were observed for HBV/G co-infections. In vitro RNA and DNA levels were comparable among all genotypes, but expression and release of HBsAg was reduced in co-expression of HBV/G with HBV/E. In co-expression with HBV/A and HBV/E expression of HBV/G-specific core was enhanced while core expression from the corresponding genotype was markedly diminished. Conclusions: HBV/G co-infections are common in European inactive carriers with HBV/A and HBV/E infection, but sufficient detection depends strongly on the assay. HBV/G regulated core expression might play a critical role for survival of HBV/G in co-infections.

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Author:Michael Basic, Alica KubeschORCiDGND, Lisa KuhnhennGND, Esra GörgülüORCiDGND, Fabian FinkelmeierORCiDGND, Julia DietzORCiDGND, Mate KnabeORCiD, Victoria Therese MückeORCiDGND, Marcus Maximilian MückeORCiDGND, Annemarie BergerGND, Stefan ZeuzemORCiDGND, Christoph SarrazinGND, Eberhard HildtORCiDGND, Kai-Henrik PeifferORCiDGND
URN:urn:nbn:de:hebis:30:3-618582
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/liv.14884
ISSN:1478-3231
Parent Title (English):Liver international
Publisher:Wiley-Blackwell
Place of publication:Oxford
Document Type:Article
Language:English
Date of Publication (online):2021/03/31
Date of first Publication:2021/03/31
Publishing Institution:Universitätsbibliothek Johann Christian Senckenberg
Release Date:2021/08/04
Tag:HBV; co-infection; core expression; genotype G; prevalence
Volume:41
Issue:6
Page Number:12
First Page:1278
Last Page:1289
HeBIS-PPN:489236790
Institutes:Medizin
Dewey Decimal Classification:6 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / 61 Medizin und Gesundheit / 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
Sammlungen:Universitätspublikationen
Licence (German):License LogoCreative Commons - Namensnennung-Weitergabe unter gleichen Bedingungen 4.0