Replicative but not transcriptional activity of HBV'cccDNA is impaired in HBeAg-negative patients

Background/Aim: Recent studies indicated that intrahepatic levels of both total hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA and nuclear covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), the template of HBV transcription, differed significantly between HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative patients. To investigate whether viral replicative and transcriptional activity directly correlate with cccDNA levels and phase of infection, we analyzed HBV DNA and RNA levels in liver biopsies from 42 HBeAg-positive and 77 HBeAg-negative patients and correlated those values with serological parameters. Methods: Intrahepatic DNA and RNA species were extra…