Simple and Reliable Method to Quantify the Hepatitis B Viral Load and Replicative Capacity in Liver Tissue and Blood Leukocytes.

ABSTRACT:

Background

A functional cure of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is feasible, but a clear view of the intrahepatic viral dynamics in each patient is needed. Intrahepatic covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) is the stable form of the viral genome in infected cells, and represents the ideal marker of parenchymal colonization. Its relationships with easily accessible peripheral parameters need to be elucidated in order to avoid invasive procedures in patients.

Objectives

The goal of this study was to design, set up, and validate a reliable and straightforward method for the quantification of the cccDNA and total DNA of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) in a variety of clinical samples.

Patients and methods

Clinical samples from a cohort of CHB patients, including liver biopsies in

SUBMITTER: Minosse C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5111393 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature