High Rate of Detection of Human ESPL1-HBV S Fusion Gene in Patients With HBV-related Liver Cancer: A Chinese Case-Control Study.

Aim: It has been shown that the integration of hepatitis B virus (HBV) gene into the host genome is a high-risk factor for development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the relationship between HBV S-integrated human extra spindle pole bodies-like 1 (ESPL1) gene and HCC is unknown. This study was designed to detect HBV S-integrated human ESPL1 fusion gene in patients with HCC for potentially using this fusion gene as a biomarker for HCC diagnosis. Patients and Methods: Nineteen and 70 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) were recruited to the experimental and control groups, respectively, and both groups underwent an effective nucleoside/nucleotide analog therapy and follow-up for HCC occurrence for up to 11 years. HCC tissues were obtained by surgical resection from the experimental group, while liver tissues were collected by liver biopsy in the control group prior to treatment with nucleoside/nucleotide analogs. Alu polymerase chain reaction was used to assess HBV S gene integration in the liver tissues from both groups. HBV S-integrated human ESPL1 fusion gene was then detected in patients with HBV S gene integration using a gene database. Results: All patients in the experimental group developed HCC, whereas no HCC was diagnosed in the control group. HBV S gene integration was identified in 12 out of 19 HCC tissues in the experimental group, giving a detection rate of 63.2%, which was significantly greater than that of 15.7% (11/70) in the control group (p<0.001). We further showed that HBV S-integrated human ESPL1 fusion gene was detected in eight patients (rate of 66.7%) among the 12 patients with HCC with HBV S gene integration in the experimental group, whereas the fusion gene was not detectable in any of the patients in the control group (p=0.001). Conclusion: This research demonstrates a high detection rate of HBV S-integrated human ESPL1 fusion gene in patients with HBV-related HCC and shows that this fusion gene appears to be associated with HCC development in patients with CHB. These findings suggest that HBV S-integrated human ESPL1 fusion gene may potentially serve as a biomarker for early detection of HCC in HBV-infected populations.