Identification of a chromosomal aberration associated with a hepatitis B DNA integration site in human cells.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA integrates into human cellular DNA during long-term persistent infections, implicating integration as one of the steps leading to hepatocarcinogenesis. The present study demonstrates that the integration of HBV DNA can result in or be accompanied by interchromosomal exchange of genomic material containing the integrated DNA. Unique cellular DNA to the left of an HBV DNA integration site cloned from a primary tumor mapped to chromosome 18q (18q11.1-q11.2); right hand flanking DNA mapped to chromosome #17 at a near-terminal region. The presence of chromosomal rearrangements in association with HBV integration may play a role in multistage hepatocarcinogenesis.