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. 1997 Jun;71(6):4852–4856. doi: 10.1128/jvi.71.6.4852-4856.1997

Novel and frequent mutations of hepatitis B virus coincide with a major histocompatibility complex class I-restricted T-cell epitope of the surface antigen.

P C Tai 1, D Banik 1, G I Lin 1, S Pai 1, K Pai 1, M H Lin 1, G Yuoh 1, S Che 1, S H Hsu 1, T C Chen 1, T T Kuo 1, C S Lee 1, C S Yang 1, C Shih 1
PMCID: PMC191713  PMID: 9151885

Abstract

We examined the full-length hepatitis B virus (HBV) envelope (surface antigen or HBV small surface antigen [HBsAg]) sequences of 12 different liver samples from 10 different hepatoma-containing chronic carriers. Surprisingly, novel and frequent mutations occurred predominantly at amino acids 40 and 47 of HBsAg, in addition to within a known protective B-cell epitope (so-called group a determinant of HBsAg 124-148). Approximately 58% of chronic carriers contain mutations at the group a determinant. The mutation frequency at the hotspot codons 40 and 47 is approximately 83%, 1 order of magnitude higher than at the known polymorphic sites of subtype-specific determinants at codons 122 and 160, which is approximately 4%. This new mutational domain is found to coincide with a major histocompatibility complex class I-restricted T-cell epitope. The potential biological significance of this novel mutation in the immunopathogenesis of HBV chronic carriers is discussed.

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Selected References

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