Occult HBV infection in Chinese blood donors: role of N-glycosylation mutations and amino acid substitutions in S protein transmembrane domains

Occult hepatitis B virus infection (OBI) is a low-level asymptomatic phase of HBV infection. Evidence of OBI clinical relevance is emerging but the mechanisms of its occurrence remain unclear. In this study, the molecular characteristics of 97 confirmed OBI from Chinese blood donors were analyzed an...

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Main Authors: Lu Zhang, Le Chang, Syria Laperche, Huimin Ji, Junpeng Zhao, Xinyi Jiang, Lunan Wang, Daniel Candotti
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2019-01-01
Series:Emerging Microbes and Infections
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2019.1663130
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author Lu Zhang
Le Chang
Syria Laperche
Huimin Ji
Junpeng Zhao
Xinyi Jiang
Lunan Wang
Daniel Candotti
author_facet Lu Zhang
Le Chang
Syria Laperche
Huimin Ji
Junpeng Zhao
Xinyi Jiang
Lunan Wang
Daniel Candotti
author_sort Lu Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Occult hepatitis B virus infection (OBI) is a low-level asymptomatic phase of HBV infection. Evidence of OBI clinical relevance is emerging but the mechanisms of its occurrence remain unclear. In this study, the molecular characteristics of 97 confirmed OBI from Chinese blood donors were analyzed and relevant mutations were identified. Recombinant HBsAg bearing these mutations were expressed in vitro and the antigenicity and HBsAg secretion properties were analyzed. Results showed that 45 (46.4%) genotype B, 50 (51.5%) genotype C, and 2 (2.1%) genotype D sequences were identified. Two groups of mutations in the S gene were significantly associated with OBI. The first group included mutations creating new N-linked glycosylation sites at positions s116, s123, s130, and s131 + s133 or removing the existing one at s146. Mutations TCT123-125NCT/NFT were associated with reduced antigenicity, while TST116-118NST, GTS130-132NTS, and TSM131-133NSS/NYT/NST were associated with varying levels of impaired HBsAg secretion. N146 mutations had no effect on HBsAg production pattern. The second group included substitutions within the S transmembrane domains TMD1-3. Only mutations C85R, L87R, L88R, and C90R within TMD2 were associated with defective HBsAg production. These mutations appear to be rare and mostly strain specific but they may contribute to the multifactorial occurrence of OBI.
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spelling doaj-art-c9e71f0a62f04da2a6e2e68e105548392025-08-20T02:26:09ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEmerging Microbes and Infections2222-17512019-01-01811337134610.1080/22221751.2019.1663130Occult HBV infection in Chinese blood donors: role of N-glycosylation mutations and amino acid substitutions in S protein transmembrane domainsLu Zhang0Le Chang1Syria Laperche2Huimin Ji3Junpeng Zhao4Xinyi Jiang5Lunan Wang6Daniel Candotti7National Center for Clinical Laboratories, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaNational Center for Clinical Laboratories, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaNational Institute of Blood Transfusion, DATS, CNR RIT, Paris, FranceNational Center for Clinical Laboratories, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaNational Center for Clinical Laboratories, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaNational Center for Clinical Laboratories, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaNational Center for Clinical Laboratories, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaNational Institute of Blood Transfusion, DATS, CNR RIT, Paris, FranceOccult hepatitis B virus infection (OBI) is a low-level asymptomatic phase of HBV infection. Evidence of OBI clinical relevance is emerging but the mechanisms of its occurrence remain unclear. In this study, the molecular characteristics of 97 confirmed OBI from Chinese blood donors were analyzed and relevant mutations were identified. Recombinant HBsAg bearing these mutations were expressed in vitro and the antigenicity and HBsAg secretion properties were analyzed. Results showed that 45 (46.4%) genotype B, 50 (51.5%) genotype C, and 2 (2.1%) genotype D sequences were identified. Two groups of mutations in the S gene were significantly associated with OBI. The first group included mutations creating new N-linked glycosylation sites at positions s116, s123, s130, and s131 + s133 or removing the existing one at s146. Mutations TCT123-125NCT/NFT were associated with reduced antigenicity, while TST116-118NST, GTS130-132NTS, and TSM131-133NSS/NYT/NST were associated with varying levels of impaired HBsAg secretion. N146 mutations had no effect on HBsAg production pattern. The second group included substitutions within the S transmembrane domains TMD1-3. Only mutations C85R, L87R, L88R, and C90R within TMD2 were associated with defective HBsAg production. These mutations appear to be rare and mostly strain specific but they may contribute to the multifactorial occurrence of OBI.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2019.1663130Hepatitis B virusoccult infectionN-linked glycosylationtransmembrane domainblood donorsHBsAg
spellingShingle Lu Zhang
Le Chang
Syria Laperche
Huimin Ji
Junpeng Zhao
Xinyi Jiang
Lunan Wang
Daniel Candotti
Occult HBV infection in Chinese blood donors: role of N-glycosylation mutations and amino acid substitutions in S protein transmembrane domains
Emerging Microbes and Infections
Hepatitis B virus
occult infection
N-linked glycosylation
transmembrane domain
blood donors
HBsAg
title Occult HBV infection in Chinese blood donors: role of N-glycosylation mutations and amino acid substitutions in S protein transmembrane domains
title_full Occult HBV infection in Chinese blood donors: role of N-glycosylation mutations and amino acid substitutions in S protein transmembrane domains
title_fullStr Occult HBV infection in Chinese blood donors: role of N-glycosylation mutations and amino acid substitutions in S protein transmembrane domains
title_full_unstemmed Occult HBV infection in Chinese blood donors: role of N-glycosylation mutations and amino acid substitutions in S protein transmembrane domains
title_short Occult HBV infection in Chinese blood donors: role of N-glycosylation mutations and amino acid substitutions in S protein transmembrane domains
title_sort occult hbv infection in chinese blood donors role of n glycosylation mutations and amino acid substitutions in s protein transmembrane domains
topic Hepatitis B virus
occult infection
N-linked glycosylation
transmembrane domain
blood donors
HBsAg
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2019.1663130
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