Background: An impaired HBsAg-secretion can increase HBV oncogenicproperties. Here, we investigate genetic-determinants in HBsAg correlated with HBVinduced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and their impact on HBsAg-secretion and cell-proliferation. Methods: This study included 128 chronically HBV-infected patients: 23 with HCC (73.9% D; 26.1% A HBV-genotype), and 105 without cirrhosis/HCC (72.4% D, 27.6% A) as reference-group. The impact of mutations on HBsAg-secretion was assessed by measuring the ratio [secreted/intracellular HBsAg] until day 5 post-transfection. The impact of mutations on cell-cycle advancement was assessed by flow-cytometry. Results: Two HBsAg mutations significantly correlated with HCC: P203Q (17.4% [4/23] in HCC vs 1.0% [1/105] in non-HCC, P=0.004); S210R (34.8% [8/23] in HCC vs 3.8% [4/105] in non-HCC, P < 0.001); P203Q+S210R (17.4% [4/23] in HCC vs 0% [0/110] in non-HCC, P=0.001). Both mutations reside in trans-membrane C-terminal domain critical for HBsAg-secretion. In in-vitro experiments, P203Q, S210R and P203Q+S210R significantly reduced the ratio [secreted/intracellular HBsAg] compared to wt at each time-point analysed (P < 0.05), supporting an impaired HBsAg-secretion. Furthermore, P203Q and P203Q+S210R increased the percentage of cells in S-phase compared to wt, indicating cell-cycle progression (P203Q:26±13%; P203Q+S210R:29±14%; wt:18%±9, P < 0.01. Additionally, S210R increased the percentage of cells in G2/M-phase (26±8% for wt versus 33±6% for S210R, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Specific mutations in HBsAg C-terminus significantly correlate with HBV-induced HCC. They hamper HBsAg-secretion and are associated with increased cellular proliferation, supporting their involvement in HCC-development. The identification of viral genetic markers associated with HCC is critical to identify patients at higher HCC-risk that may deserve intensive liver monitoring, and/or early anti-HBV therapy.

Novel HBsAg mutations correlate with hepatocellular carcinoma, hamper HBsAg secretion and promote cell proliferation in vitro / R. Salpini, M. Surdo, N. Warner, M.F. Cortese, D. Colledge, S. Soppe, M.C. Bellocchi, D. Armenia, L. Carioti, F. Continenza, D. Di Carlo, P. Saccomandi, C. Mirabelli, M. Pollicita, R. Longo, S. Romano, G. Cappiello, A. Spanò, P. Trimoulet, H. Fleury, J. Vecchiet, N. Iapadre, A. Barlattani, A. Bertoli, T. Mari, C. Pasquazzi, G. Missale, C. Sarrecchia, E. Orecchini, A. Michienzi, M. Andreoni, S. Francioso, M. Angelico, J. Verheyen, F. Ceccherini-Silberstein, S. Locarnini, C.F. Perno, V. Svicher. - In: ONCOTARGET. - ISSN 1949-2553. - 8:9(2017 Feb 28), pp. 15704-15715. [10.18632/oncotarget.14944]

Novel HBsAg mutations correlate with hepatocellular carcinoma, hamper HBsAg secretion and promote cell proliferation in vitro

D. Di Carlo;R. Longo;C.F. Perno
;
2017

Abstract

Background: An impaired HBsAg-secretion can increase HBV oncogenicproperties. Here, we investigate genetic-determinants in HBsAg correlated with HBVinduced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and their impact on HBsAg-secretion and cell-proliferation. Methods: This study included 128 chronically HBV-infected patients: 23 with HCC (73.9% D; 26.1% A HBV-genotype), and 105 without cirrhosis/HCC (72.4% D, 27.6% A) as reference-group. The impact of mutations on HBsAg-secretion was assessed by measuring the ratio [secreted/intracellular HBsAg] until day 5 post-transfection. The impact of mutations on cell-cycle advancement was assessed by flow-cytometry. Results: Two HBsAg mutations significantly correlated with HCC: P203Q (17.4% [4/23] in HCC vs 1.0% [1/105] in non-HCC, P=0.004); S210R (34.8% [8/23] in HCC vs 3.8% [4/105] in non-HCC, P < 0.001); P203Q+S210R (17.4% [4/23] in HCC vs 0% [0/110] in non-HCC, P=0.001). Both mutations reside in trans-membrane C-terminal domain critical for HBsAg-secretion. In in-vitro experiments, P203Q, S210R and P203Q+S210R significantly reduced the ratio [secreted/intracellular HBsAg] compared to wt at each time-point analysed (P < 0.05), supporting an impaired HBsAg-secretion. Furthermore, P203Q and P203Q+S210R increased the percentage of cells in S-phase compared to wt, indicating cell-cycle progression (P203Q:26±13%; P203Q+S210R:29±14%; wt:18%±9, P < 0.01. Additionally, S210R increased the percentage of cells in G2/M-phase (26±8% for wt versus 33±6% for S210R, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Specific mutations in HBsAg C-terminus significantly correlate with HBV-induced HCC. They hamper HBsAg-secretion and are associated with increased cellular proliferation, supporting their involvement in HCC-development. The identification of viral genetic markers associated with HCC is critical to identify patients at higher HCC-risk that may deserve intensive liver monitoring, and/or early anti-HBV therapy.
Cell proliferation; HBsAg mutations; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B surface antigen; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Adult; Aged; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Cell Cycle; Cell Proliferation; Female; Gene Frequency; Genotype; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis B, Chronic; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Male; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Risk Factors; Mutation; Oncology
Settore MED/07 - Microbiologia e Microbiologia Clinica
28-feb-2017
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/623191
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