Correlation of oxidative stress in patients with HBV-induced liver disease with HBV genotypes and drug resistance mutations

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to explore the correlation of oxidative stress (OxS) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and the disease severity with HBV genotypes and drug resistance mutations.

Methods: A total of 296 patients with CHB were enrolled into the study. PCR-reverse dot-blot hybridization was used to detect the HBV genotypes (B, C, and D) and the drug resistance-causing HBV mutant genes. In addition, the total oxidative stress (TOS) and total antioxidant status (TAS) were determined, and oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated and compared.

Results: Serum levels of TOS and OSI, the B/C ratio, and drug resistance mutation rate were increased along with the elevated disease severity degree (CHB<HBC<HCC) (P < 0.05), while the serum TAS level showed the opposite trend (though there was no statistical difference between patients at the CHB and HBC stages). Moreover, patients with drug resistance-causing HBV mutation had higher serum TOS and OSI levels, while lower serum TAS levels (P < 0.05), compared with patients without mutations. Furthermore, mutation site numbers were positively correlated with the disease severity degree (γ = 0.614, P < 0.001).

Conclusion: There is oxidative damage in patients with HBV-induced liver disease, and the damage degree is correlated with the HBV genotype and drug resistance mutation. Oxidative stress might be a useful indicator of the progression of HBV-induced liver disease in patients.

Keywords: Drug resistance-causing mutation; Genotype; HBV infection; Liver disease severity; Oxidative stress.