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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Med.
Sec. Hepatobiliary Diseases
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1519686
This article is part of the Research Topic Chronic Hepatitis B Management: Current Status and Future Directions View all 11 articles

Association between intrahepatic cccDNA and the severity of liver inflammation in chronic hepatitis B virus infection patients

Provisionally accepted
Suxian Zhao Suxian Zhao Chen Dong Chen Dong Chudi Chang Chudi Chang Jiaming Zhang Jiaming Zhang Jing Li Jing Li Xiaoxiao Zhang Xiaoxiao Zhang Weiguang Ren Weiguang Ren Ying Zhang Ying Zhang Yuemin Nan Yuemin Nan *
  • Hebei Medical University Third Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background and aims: This research aimed to examine the association between hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) and liver inflammation in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection patients.Methods: From August 2013 to June 2022, CHB patients at Hebei Medical University Third Hospital (Hebei, China) were recruited. Intrahepatic cccDNA was quantified and its association with liver inflammation was analyzed. Liver inflammation was assessed using the Ishak-modified histologic activity index (HAI). Biochemical and viral indicators as well as hepatic inflammation biomarkers were monitored.Results: In total, 55 CHB patients were enrolled. The average HBV-cccDNA level was markedly elevated in HBeAg+ patients compared to HBeAg-patients. Intrahepatic cccDNA levels differed significantly in different liver inflammation groups and showed a positive correlation with the HAI score for hepatic inflammation.Conclusions: HBV-cccDNA level was associated with liver inflammation.

    Keywords: Covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), Inflammation, Liver, HBV, Chronic hepatitis B

    Received: 30 Oct 2024; Accepted: 16 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Zhao, Dong, Chang, Zhang, Li, Zhang, Ren, Zhang and Nan. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Yuemin Nan, Hebei Medical University Third Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China

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