Different pre-S deletion patterns and their association with hepatitis B virus genotypes

Table 3 Frequencies of different types of pre-S deletions in HBV/B- and HBV/C-infected carriers n (%)

Deletion	HBV/B(n = 43)	HBV/C(n = 43)	P value
N-terminal half of pre-S1 (aa 1-57)	17 (39.5)	17 (39.5)	1.000
C-terminal half of pre-S1 (aa 58-119)	37 (86.0)	30 (69.8)	0.117
N-terminus of pre-S2 (aa 1-31)	34 (79.1)	31 (72.1)	0.616
d183 M	10 (23.3)	9 (20.9)	1.000
Epitope Mapping
Pre-S1 region
pS1-T1 (aa 12-48 of pre-S1)	15 (34.9)	9 (20.9)	0.229
pS1-B1 (aa 12-53 of pre-S1)	15 (34.9)	9 (20.9)	0.229
pS1-B2 (aa 72-78 of pre-S1)	18 (41.9)	22 (51.2)	0.517
pS1-BT (aa 94-117 of pre-S1)	31 (72.1)	22 (51.2)	0.075
Pre-S2 region
pS2-B1 (aa 1-6 of pre-S2)	31 (72.1)	16 (37.2)	0.002
pS2-B2 (aa 3-15 of pre-S2)	33 (76.7)	27 (62.8)	0.240
pS2-B3 (aa 13-24 of pre-S2)	19 (44.2)	24 (55.8)	0.388
pS2-T1 (aa 21-48 of pre-S2)	11 (25.6)	21 (48.8)	0.044
Functional Mapping
Pre-S1 region (aa 1-119)
The start codon of L	4 (9.3)	9 (20.9)	0.228
HBS (aa 2-48)	16 (37.2)	15 (34.9)	1.000
S promoter (nt 3045-3189)	31 (72.1)	30 (69.8)	1.000
CBF (nt 3137-3147)	23 (53.5)	15 (34.9)	0.128
HSC70 (aa 74-118)	31 (72.1)	29 (67.4)	0.815
CAD (aa 81-105)	30 (69.8)	23 (53.5)	0.379
Pre-S1/S2 region (aa1-174)
NBS (aa 103-127)	39 (90.7)	27 (62.8)	0.004
Pre-S2 region (aa1-55)
The start codon of M1	30 (69.8)	18 (41.9)	0.016
VS (aa 1-5 of pre-S2)	32 (74.4)	16 (37.2)	0.001
pHSA (aa 3-16 of pre-S2)	34 (79.1)	25 (58.1)	0.062

¹Deletion or mutation of the start codon of the M protein. HBS: Hepatocyte binding site; CBF: CCAAT binding factor; HSC70: Heat shock protein 70; CAD: Cytosolic anchorage determinant; NBS: Nucleocapsid binding site; VS: Viral secretion; pHSA: Polymerized human serum albumin.