Characteristics of hepatitis B virus genotype G coinfected with genotype H in chimeric mice carrying human hepatocytes

• Published in: Virology (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2008-07, Vol.376 (2), p.408-415
• Main Authors: Tanaka, Yasuhito, Sanchez, Laura V, Sugiyama, Masaya, Sakamoto, Tomoyuki, Kurbanov, Fuat, Tatematsu, Kanako, Roman, Sonia, Takahashi, Satoru, Shirai, Tomoyuki, Panduro, Arturo, Mizokami, Masashi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Base Sequence; Cell Transplantation; Cells, Cultured; Chimera; Chimeric mice; Europe; Female; Fibrosis; Genome, Viral; HBV genotype G; HBV genotype H; Hepatitis B - pathology; Hepatitis B - virology; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis B virus - classification; Hepatitis B virus - physiology; Hepatocytes - transplantation; Hepatocytes - virology; Humans; Infectious Disease; Liver Cirrhosis - pathology; Liver Cirrhosis - virology; Male; Mexico; Mice; Mice, SCID; Molecular Sequence Data; MSM; Replication; Sequence Alignment; Virus Replication
• ISSN: 0042-6822; 1096-0341
• DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2008.04.001

Abstract Accumulated evidence indicated that hepatitis B virus genotype G (HBV/G) is present exclusively in coinfection with other HBV genotypes. In Mexico, HBV/G from 6 men who had sex with men were coinfected with HBV/H. Phylogenetically complete genomes of the 6 Mexican HBV/G strains were closely related to previous ones from the US/Europe. Using uPA/SCID mice with human hepatocytes, monoinfection with HBV/G did not result in detectable HBV DNA in serum, whereas superinfection with HBV/G at week 10 inoculated HBV/H when HBV/H DNA was elevated to > 107 copies/mL has enhanced the replication of HBV/G. The HBV/G was enhanced in another 3 inoculated with a serum passage containing HBV/G with a trace of HBV/H. Coinfection of mice with HBV/G and H induced fibrosis in the liver. In conclusion, the replication of HBV/G can be enhanced remarkably when it is coinfected with HBV/H. Coinfection with HBV/G may be directly cytopathic in immunosuppressive conditions.