Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32770306›Full record

ArticleHepatology international2020

Hepatitis B virus X gene mutants emerge during antiviral therapy and increase cccDNA levels to compensate for replication suppression.

Chih-Lang Lin, Rong-Nan Chien, Yu-De Chu, Kung-Hao Liang, Ya-Hui Huang, Po-Yuan Ke, Kwang-Huei Lin, Yang-Hsiang Lin, Chau-Ting Yeh

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Hepatology international, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 27% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. HBV-Induced Carcinogenesis: Mechanisms, Correlation With Viral Suppression, and Implications for Treatment.Liver international : official journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver · 2025
    Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Chih-Lang LinLiver Research Unit, Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan.
Rong-Nan ChienLiver Research Unit, Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan.
Yu-De ChuLiver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Kung-Hao LiangMedical Research Department, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Ya-Hui HuangLiver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Po-Yuan KeDepartment of Biochemistry, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Kwang-Huei LinDepartment of Biochemistry, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Yang-Hsiang LinLiver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan. yhlin0621@cgmh.org.tw.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4295-6062
Chau-Ting YehLiver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan. chautingy@gmail.com.
Chang Gung University · TWChang Gung Memorial Hospital · TWChang Gung University of Science and Technology · TWTaipei Veterans General Hospital · TW

Funding

Chang Gung Memorial Hospital CMRPG2B0463Chang Gung Memorial Hospital CRRPG2H0081
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHepatitis B virus (HBV) X gene (HBx) mutants can develop during the natural course of chronic HBV infection. However, little is known about whether the emergence of HBx mutants during long-term antiviral therapy is an adaptation of HBV to antiviral stress. This study was to identify HBx mutants that emerged in patients experiencing Lamivudine resistance or suboptimal treatment.

methodsForty-six Lamivudine-resistant patients and 46 patients with suboptimal treatment responses to Entecavir were enrolled in this study. HBx mutants were identified by sequence analysis and their roles in the HBV replication cycle were characterized.

resultsWe show that deletion/truncation/insertion mutations were only detected in the Lamivudine resistance group, while synonymous mutations were found in both groups. Follow-up analyses revealed that five patients in the Lamivudine group developed hepatocellular carcinoma, while patients in the Entecavir group did not. These mutants were characterized by a significant decrease in transactivation of the pre-S1 promoter, and varying effects on transactivation of the X promoter. Co-transfection of HBx-mutant plasmid and HBV replication-competent clone into HepG2 cells resulted in increased nuclear-to-cytoplamic HBV core antigen, HBV-DNA ratios, and nuclear covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA). Antiviral drug sensitivity assays revealed that these mutants exhibited a compensatory effect to counteract antiviral drug suppression, resulting in elevated secretory HBV-DNA levels.

conclusionsOur study demonstrates that HBx mutants can emerge during Lamivudine or Entecavir therapy. These mutants exhibit altered transactivation of the HBV pre-S1 and X promoters, leading to increased cccDNA levels to compensate for replication suppression.

Indexed as

Hepatitis B, ChronicHepatitis B virusAntiviral AgentsDNA, CircularDNA, ViralDrug Resistance, ViralHumansLamivudineLiver NeoplasmsMutationTrans-ActivatorsViral Regulatory and Accessory ProteinsVirus ReplicationAntiviral AgentsDNA, CircularDNA, Viralhepatitis B virus X proteinLamivudineTrans-ActivatorsViral Regulatory and Accessory ProteinsEntecavirLamivudinePre-S1 promoterSuboptimal responseTransactivation

Identifiers

PMID32770306
OpenAlexW3048012442

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.