Specific Detection of Hepatitis B Virus cccDNA from Patient Sera Plasma

Hepatitis B Virus HBV causes acyte liver infection with of the patients worldwide develop chronic infection cirrhosis and liver cancer that causes tremendous health and economic impact The persistence of the HBV Covalently Closed Circular DNA cccDNA in the hepatocytes is the major cause of chronic infection cccDNA is supercoiled plasmid like DNA with histone deposition in the form of minichromosome while the packaged viral genome Relaxed Circular DNA rcDNA is histone free partially circular dsDNA Recent studies reported that the cccDNA level in the serum plasma correlates well with the intrahepatic cccDNA level and is a potential clinical index to monitor chronic HBV infection liver damage and treatment outcome without resorting to liver biopsy Carrera Bioscience proposes to develop an assay with dual criteria selection of cccDNA detection methods that are solely based on the DNA sequence In addition recombinant nucleosomal cccDNA will be developed as companion quantitative control standards for this assay It is more phsyiologically relevant than conventional plasmid based standards The assay can be easily automated for high throughout applications to fill the void of cccDNA diagnosis in the hepatitis B health care sector