Profile of Mutations in the Reverse Transcriptase and Overlapping Surface Genes of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) in Treatment-Naïve Indonesian HBV Carriers

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Infectious Diseases Vol. 70; no. 6; pp. 647 - 655
• Main Authors: Yamani, Laura Navika, Yano, Yoshihiko, Utsumi, Takako, Wasityastuti, Widya, Rinonce, Hanggoro Tri, Widasari, Dewiyani Indah, Juniastuti, Lusida, Maria Inge, Soetjipto, Hayashi, Yoshitake
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japanese Journal of Infectious Diseases Editorial Committee 2017; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Amino acid sequence; Amino Acid Substitution; Biotechnology; Carrier State; DNA Mutational Analysis; Drug resistance; Drug Resistance, Viral; Gene sequencing; Genome, Viral; Genomes; Genotype; Genotype & phenotype; Genotypes; Hepatitis; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B - epidemiology; Hepatitis B - virology; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens - genetics; hepatitis B virus (HBV); Hepatitis B virus - classification; Hepatitis B virus - enzymology; Hepatitis B virus - genetics; Humans; Indonesia; Indonesia - epidemiology; Mutation; nucleos(t)ide analog (NA) resistance; Phylogeography; Prevalence; reverse transcriptase (RT) gene; RNA-directed DNA polymerase; RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase - genetics; Strains (organisms); Vaccination; Viruses; Indonesia; hepatitis B virus (HBV); nucleos(t)ide analog (NA) resistance; reverse transcriptase (RT) gene; Indonesia
• ISSN: 1344-6304; 1884-2836
• DOI: 10.7883/yoken.JJID.2017.078

Mutations in the reverse transcriptase (RT) region of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome are an important factor in low therapeutic effectiveness. Nonetheless, the prevalence of these mutations in HBV strains isolated previously in Indonesia has not been systematically examined. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the profile of mutations in the RT region and the associations of these mutations with amino acid changes in the surface protein in the virus of treatment-naïve Indonesian HBV carriers. Overall, 96 sequences of the full-length Indonesian HBV genomes (genotype B, n = 54; genotype C, n = 42) were retrieved from the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Naturally occurring primary and/or compensatory drug resistance mutations were found in 6/54 (11.1%) genotype B strains and in 1/42 (2.4%) genotype C strains. The potential mutations underlying resistance to a nucleos(t)ide analog and/or pretreatment mutations were more frequent in both genotypes but more frequent in genotype C strains than in genotype B strains. The A–B interdomain region in the RT gene was more frequently mutated in genotype C than in genotype B (3.51 ± 2.53 vs. 1.08 ± 1.52, P ＜ 0.001). Knowledge about the mutational profiles of the RT gene and changes in the surface protein may help clinicians to select the most appropriate antiviral drug and vaccination or HBV immunoglobulin regimen for management of HBV infection in Indonesia.