Potential clinical significance of serum HBV RNA virus-like particles

• Main Authors: Chinese Journal of Hepatology, Journal of Clinical Hepatology, Chinese Hepatology
• Format: Article
• Language: zho
• Published: Editorial Department of Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2016-09-01
• Series: Linchuang Gandanbing Zazhi
• Online Access: http://www.lcgdbzz.org/qk_content.asp?id=7652

Our recent studies confirmed that the HBV RNAs present in the serum of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients are pregenomic RNAs (pgRNAs) with a size of 3.5 kb. These pgRNAs are located in virus-like particles whose morphological structure is similar to that of Dan granules. Since pgRNAs can only be transcribed from the covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in virus located in the nuclear of infected hepatocytes, and the production of pgRNAs is not affected by nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs), the presence of viral RNA in serum can reflect the presence of cccDNA in hepatocytes and its transcriptional activity in patients treated with medication. It can be inferred that serum viral RNA can be used as a potential index for safe withdrawal of NAs. Our results based on a small-sample cohort show that the presence of HBV RNA in serum at the time of withdrawal is indeed associated with virological rebound after drug withdrawal.