ABSTRACT
Objective@#To investigate the key factor(s) of hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) promoting B7-H6 gene activation.@*Methods@#The DNA fragments of the B7-H6 promoter were amplified from the human genomic DNA using polymerase chain reaction(PCR). Products of PCR were digested by KpnI and HindⅢ, and inserted into luciferase reporter vector (pGL3-Basic). The correctness of the recombinant plasmid pGL3-B7-H6 was confirmed by sequencing. Human hepatoma cell line HepG2 were co-transfected with pGL3-B7-H6 and the eukaryotic expression vectors (pCMV-HBs、pCMV-HBc and pCMV-HBx), and the relative luciferase activity was detected.The different dose of HBx expression plasmids were transfected into the HepG2 cells, and the expression of B7-H6 protein were determined by Western blot.@*Results@#A period of 2.2 Kb of B7-H6 promoter region were successfully cloned into pGL3-Basic, which was confirmed by DNA sequencing. The relative luciferase activity was significantly higher in the cells transfected with pGL3-B7-H6 than that in the cells transfected with the empty vector pGL3-Basic (5.24±1.25 vs. 1.12±0.31, P=0.005). The relative luciferase activity in HepG2 cells co-transfected with pGL3-B7-H6 and pCMV-HBx was remarkably increased compared with the control group (17.60±3.36 vs. 6.73±1.36, P=0.001). Western blot further demonstrated that HBx protein can significantly enhance B7-H6 protein expression.@*Conclusions@#Hepatitis B Virus X proteins enhanced B7-H6 promoter activity and promoted B7-H6 protein expression.
ABSTRACT
Objective To understand the clinical features of hepatitis B virus(HBV)/hepatitis C virus(HCV)coinfected patients with different virological profiles.Methods The clinical data of 186 patients with HBV/HCV coinfection from May 1999 to May 2010 in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University were analyzed retrospectively.The demographic data,epidemiological data,laboratory results and pathological index were analyzed.The statistical analysis was done using t test and chi square test.Results A total of 186 patients were divided into 4 groups:66(35.5%)in HBV DNA(-)/HCV RNA(-)group,8(4.3%)in HBV DNA(+)/HCV RNA(+)group,68(36.6%)in HBV DNA(+)/HCV RNA(-)group and 44(23.7%)in HBV DNA(-)/HCV RNA(+) group.The gender composition,complication incidence,transmission among drug users,alanine aminotransferase(ALT)level,total bilirubin(TBil)level,prothrombin activity(PTA)and hapatitis B e antigen(HBeAg)negative rate were all significantly different among four groups(F or x2=11.578,8.451,11.738,2.669,5.102,4.254 and 18.413,respectively;all P0.05).The HBeAg negative rate in HBV DNA(-)patients was 85.5%,which was higher than that in HBV DNA(+)patients(59.2%)(x2=16.393,P<0.05).Conclusions HBV DNA(+/-)/HCV RNA(-)profile were major components in HBV/HCV confection.HBV DNA level is related to disease progression and prognosis,but not relate to disease severity.Liver function damage and disease severity are aggravated with HCV RNA level decreases.HBV DNA level is related to HBeAg negative rate,while HCV RNA level is not related to HBeAg seroconversion rate.