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Theories about evolutionary origins of human hepatitis B virus in primates and humans

Abstract

Introduction:

The human hepatitis B virus causes acute and chronic hepatitis and is considered one of the most serious human health issues by the World Health Organization, causing thousands of deaths per year. There are similar viruses belonging to the Hepadnaviridae family that infect non-human primates and other mammals as well as some birds. The majority of non-human primate virus isolates were phylogenetically close to the human hepatitis B virus, but like the human genotypes, the origins of these viruses remain controversial. However, there is a possibility that human hepatitis B virus originated in primates. Knowing whether these viruses might be common to humans and primates is crucial in order to reduce the risk to humans.

Objective:

To review the existing knowledge about the evolutionary origins of viruses of the Hepadnaviridae family in primates.

Methods:

This review was done by reading several articles that provide information about the Hepadnaviridae virus family in non-human primates and humans and the possible origins and evolution of these viruses.

Results:

The evolutionary origin of viruses of the Hepadnaviridae family in primates has been dated back to several thousand years; however, recent analyses of genomic fossils of avihepadnaviruses integrated into the genomes of several avian species have suggested a much older origin of this genus.

Conclusion:

Some hypotheses about the evolutionary origins of human hepatitis B virus have been debated since the '90s. One theory suggested a New World origin because of the phylogenetic co-segregation between some New World human hepatitis B virus genotypes F and H and woolly B virus in basal sister-relationship to the Old monkey human hepatitis World non-human primates and human hepatitis B virus variants. Another theory suggests an Old World origin of human hepatitis B virus, and that it would have been spread following prehistoric human migrations over 100,000 years ago. A third theory suggests a co-speciation of human hepatitis B virus in non-human primate hosts because of the proximity between the phylogeny of Old and New World non-human primate and their human hepatitis B virus variants. The importance of further research, related to the subject in South American wild fauna, is paramount and highly relevant for understanding the origin of human hepatitis B virus.

Hepatitis B virus; Hepadnaviridae; Non-human primates; Evolutionary origins


Introduction

The human hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a small enveloped DNA virus that causes two forms of hepatitis – acute and chronic. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 1/3 of the world population already possess serologic evidence of HBV infection, 350 million people are chronically infected and approximately 600,000 deaths are reported each year as a result of acute or chronic hepatitis B.11. Kane M. Global programme for control of hepatitis B infection. Vaccine. 1995;13:47–9.,22. WHO. Hepatitis B; 2013. Available from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs204/en/ (accessed 10.06.13).
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheet...
Infected patients have a high risk of developing serious problems related to the disease, such as fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).33. Maddrey WC. Hepatitis B – an important public health issue. Clin Lab. 2001;47:51–5. Today, HCC is the fifth most frequent human cancer.44. Lavanchy D. Hepatitis B virus epidemiology, disease burden, treatment, and current and emerging prevention and control measures. J Viral Hepat. 2004;11:97–107.,55. Shepard CW, Simard EP, Finelli L, et al. Hepatitis B virus infection: epidemiology and vaccination. Epidemiol Rev. 2006;28:112–25.

A prophylactic vaccine against a subunit of the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs) is already available. However, there can be failures in some cases such as emerging anti-HBs-escape mutant viruses, patients with compromised immune-response or heterologous HBV genotypes.66. Carman WF, Zanetti AR, Karayiannis P, et al. Vaccine-induced escape mutant of hepatitis B virus. Lancet. 1990;336:325–9.88. Tacke F, Amini-Bavil-Olyaee S, Heim A, Luedde T, Manns MP, Trautwein C. Acute hepatitis B virus infection by genotype F despite successful vaccination in an immune-competent German patient. J Clin Virol. 2007;38:353–7. Despite the safety and efficacy of the developed vaccines, infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) continues to persist as a public health problem and a leading cause of death from infectious diseases worldwide. HBV can be divided into at least ten genotypes (A–J), distinguished by more than an 8% difference in their genomic nucleotide sequence. There are variations in the geographical distribution of HBV genotypes. While the genotypes A, D and G are detected all over the world, genotypes B, C, I and J are most common in Asia, genotype F and H in Native Americans, and genotype E can be found in Western Africa.99. Tatematsu K, Tanaka Y, Kurbanov F, et al. A genetic variant of hepatitis B virus divergent from known human and ape genotypes isolated from a Japanese patient and provisionally assigned to new genotype J. J Virol. 2009;83:10538–47.1111. Tran TT, Trinh TN, Abe K. New complex recombinant genotype of hepatitis B virus identified in Vietnam. J Virol. 2008;82:5657–63.

The Hepadnaviridae family is made up of genera Orthohepadnavirus and Avihepadnavirus. The former infects mammals and is represented by: HBV (Hepatitis B Virus), which infects humans; viruses similar to HBV (such as woolly monkey HBV and orangutan-HBV for example), which infect non-human primates; Woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) that causes hepatitis in woodchucks, and Ground squirrel hepatitis virus (GSHV) causing hepatitis in squirrels.1212. Seerger C, et al. The cloned genome of ground squirrel hepatitis virus is infectious in the animal. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1984;81:5849–952.,1313. Pringle CR. The universal system of virus taxonomy of the International Committee on Virus Taxonomy (ICTV), including new proposals ratified since publication of the Sixth ICTV Report in 1995. Arch Virol. 1998;143:203–10. The latter infect birds, including Duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) responsible for duck hepatitis and Heron hepatitis B virus (HHBV) which causes hepatitis in herons.1414. Mandart E, Kay A, Galibert F. Nucleotide sequence of a cloned duck hepatitis B virus genome: comparison with woodchuck and human hepatitis B virus sequences. J Virol. 1984;49:782–92.1616. Fauquet CM, Mayo MA, Maniloff J, et al. Hepadnaviridae. In: Fauquet CM, Mayo MA, Maniloff J, Desselberger U, Ball LA, editors. Virus taxonomy classification and nomenclature of viruses. Eight report of the international committee on taxonomy of viruses. Amsterdam: Elselvier, Academic Press; 2005. p. 373–84.

General characteristics of Hepadnaviridae family

Hepadnaviridae family members have as common characteristics a tropism for liver cells. They also possess envelopedvirions and icosahedral nucleocapsid; the genome consists of an incomplete double stranded DNA with their own DNA polymerase, which is a long negative strand and a short positive strand, with the latter of a variable length, depending on each species. They produce subviral particles; generate persistent infection and replicate through RNA intermediate via reverse transcriptase.1717. Madigan MTM, Martinko JM, Parker J. Brock Biología de los Microorganismos. Prentice Hall: Pearson; 2003. p. 675–710.

The genome of human HBV (which is the prototype species of the family Hepadnaviridae) has a peculiar genomic organization with a mechanism of asymmetric replication. This genome is relaxed circular and has a length of approximately 3200 base pairs and has four regions of open reading frame[s?] (ORF) which overlap: Pré-S1/Pré-S2/S, Pre C/C, X and P. These genes are responsible for encoding the three envelope (or surface) proteins; small (S), medium (M), and large (L), that constitute the HBV surface antigen (HBsAg), the core protein (HBcAg), the nuclear protein (HBeAg), X protein (that can affect viral replication and proliferation, and interfere in cellular processes of apoptosis and carcinogenesis) and viral polymerase (P).1818. Zhu R, Zhang HP, Yu H, et al. Hepatitis B virus mutations associated with in situ expression of hepatitis B core antigen, viral load and prognosis in chronic hepatitis B patients. Pathol Res Pract. 2008;204:731–42.,1919. Wen Y, Golubkov VS, Strongin AY, Jiang W, Reed JC. Interaction of hepatitis B viral oncoprotein with cellular target HBXIP dysregulates centrosome dynamics and mitotic spindle formation. J Biol Chem. 2008;283:2793–803.The ORF of the P gene occupies 80% of the entire genome and encodes the viral DNA polymerase enzyme which has three areas: DNA polymerase, reverse transcriptase and RNAase. To better describe mutations in this gene, the reverse transcriptase domain was sub-divided into 7 sub-domains, classified A–G.1717. Madigan MTM, Martinko JM, Parker J. Brock Biología de los Microorganismos. Prentice Hall: Pearson; 2003. p. 675–710.,1818. Zhu R, Zhang HP, Yu H, et al. Hepatitis B virus mutations associated with in situ expression of hepatitis B core antigen, viral load and prognosis in chronic hepatitis B patients. Pathol Res Pract. 2008;204:731–42.,2020. Oliveira CMA. Situação imunológica dos profissionais de saúde de um laboratório de pesquisa em relação ao vírus da hepatite B. Universidade Federal do Pará; 2009, 98f: Il. Mutations in the P gene cause a large increase in the synthesis of viral DNA and greater risk of liver carcinogenesis.1818. Zhu R, Zhang HP, Yu H, et al. Hepatitis B virus mutations associated with in situ expression of hepatitis B core antigen, viral load and prognosis in chronic hepatitis B patients. Pathol Res Pract. 2008;204:731–42.

Another characteristic is that hepatitis B is a non-retroviral virus that uses reverse transcriptase as part of its replication process, using the 'covalently closed circular DNA' (cccDNA), which serves as a template for transcription of four viral mRNAs and allows the maintenance of chronic HBV infection in hosts.2121. Levrero M, Pollicino T, Petersen J, et al. Control of cccDNA function in hepatitis B virus infection. J Hepatol. 2009;51:581–92.

HBV in primates

Besides human HBV, which is the model species of the family, there are viruses belonging to the same family that infect other primates (Table 1). Non-human HBV genotypes were found in higher Old World primates.2222. Lyons S, Sharp C, LeBreton M, et al. Species association of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in non-human apes; evidence for recombination between gorilla and chimpanzee variants. PLoS ONE. 2012;7:e33430.,2323. Starkman SE, MacDonald DM, Lewis JC, Holmes EC, Simmonds P. Geographic and species association of hepatitis B virus genotypes in non-human primates. Virology. 2003;314:381–93. Together with the high diversity of African HBV subgenotypes and recombinants, this led to the possibility that the origin of HBV occurred in Old World primates.2323. Starkman SE, MacDonald DM, Lewis JC, Holmes EC, Simmonds P. Geographic and species association of hepatitis B virus genotypes in non-human primates. Virology. 2003;314:381–93.,2424. Simmonds P. The origin and evolution of hepatitis viruses in humans. J Gen Virol. 2001;82 Pt 4:693–712. Most isolates from non-human primates (NHP) were phylogenetically close to human HBV isolates. Viruses were found in gibbons (Nomascus sp. and Hylobates sp.),2525. Lanford RE, Chavez D, Rico-Hesse R, et al. Hepadnavirus infection in captive gibbons. J Virol. 2000;74:2955–9. chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes),2626. Hu XL, Margolis HS, Purcell RH, et al. Identification of hepatitis B virus indigenous to chimpanzees. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2000;97:1661–4.2929. Takahashi K, Mishiro S, Prince AM. Novel hepatitis B virus strain from a chimpanzee of Central Africa (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) with an unusual antigenicity of the core protein. Intervirology. 2001;44:321–6. gorillas (Gorilla gorilla)3030. Grethe S, Heckel JO, Rietschel W, et al. Molecular epidemiology of hepatitis B virus variants in nonhuman primates. J Virol. 2000;74:5377–81. and orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus)3131. Warren KS, Heeney JL, Swan RA, et al. A new group of hepadnaviruses naturally infecting oran-gutans (Pongo pygmaeus). J Virol. 1999;73:7860–5.(Fig. 1).

Table 1
Characteristics of previous publications about HBV infections in primates: PCR detection, HBsAg, HBcAb, genotypes and observations.
Fig. 1
(A) Geographical distribution of publication relating to non-human primates which were detected with some HBV genotype. Sample animals are listed by genera in Table 1. (B) The evolutionary history was inferred by Neighbor–Joining method.7474. Saitou N, Nei M. The Neighbor–Joining method: a new method for reconstructing phylogenetic trees. Mol Biol Evol. 1987;4:406–25. The percentage of replicate trees in which the associated taxa clustered together in the bootstrap test (1000 replicates) are shown above the branches.7575. Felsenstein J. Confidence limits on phylogenies: an approach using the bootstrap. Evaluation. 1985;39:783–91. The tree is drawn to scale, with branch lengths in the same units as those of the evolutionary distances used to infer the phylogenetic tree. The evolutionary distances were computed using the p-distance method7676. Nei M, Kumar S. Molecular evolution and phylogenetics. New York: Oxford University Press; 2000. and are in the units of number of base difference per site. All positions containing gaps and missing data were eliminated. There were a total of 3167 positions in the final dataset. evolutionary analyses were conducted in MEGAS.7777. Tamura K, Peterson D, Peterson N, Stecher G, Nei M, Kumar S. MEGA5: molecular evolutionary genetics analysis using maximum likelihood, evolutionary distance, and maximum parsimony methods. Mol Biol Evol. 2011;28:2731–9.

The origin of these viruses remains controversial. Chimpanzees from different regions of the planet appear to be infected with different types of isolates,2727. Hu XL, Javadian A, Gagneux P, et al. Paired chimpanzee hepatitis B virus (ChHBV) and mtDNA sequences suggest different ChHBV genetic variants are found in geographically distinct chimpanzee subspecies. Virus Res. 2001;79:103–8. supporting the concept that these viruses may have evolved with their hosts. However, the hepadnavirus isolated from woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagotricha) – woolly monkey HBV (WMHBV) clearly is a new member of the Hepadnaviridae family.3232. Lanford RE, Chavez D, Brasky KM, et al. Isolation of a hepadnavirus from the woolly monkey, a New World primate. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1998;95:5757–61. Both the WMHBV and the New World human HBV genotypes F and H were in a phylogenetic sister-relationship which is more divergent to the Old World human HBV genotypes, strengthening hypotheses on an origin of HBV in New World primates.3333. Fares MA, Holmes EC. A revised evolutionary history of hepatitis B virus (HBV). J Mol Evol. 2002;54:807–14.,3434. Bollyky PL, Rambaut A, Grassley N, et al. Hepatitis B virus has a recent new world evolutionary origin. J Hepatol. 1998;28:96. Until the present moment, WMHBV has been detected only in captive animals at one zoo, but it was not found in another four zoos tested.3232. Lanford RE, Chavez D, Brasky KM, et al. Isolation of a hepadnavirus from the woolly monkey, a New World primate. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1998;95:5757–61. So far, there have been no reports about the presence of this virus in wild woolly monkeys.

In 2013, Dupinay et al.3535. Dupinay T, Gheit T, Roques P, et al. Discovery of naturally occurring transmissible chronic hepatitis B virus infection among Macaca fascicular is from mauritius island. Hepatology. 2013, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/hep.26428.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/hep.26428...
investigated HBV infection in small primates of different origins and in Mauritius, 25.8% (in serum) and 42% (in liver) of HBV DNA positives were found. Genome sequencing data revealed that it was human HBV genotype D, subtype ayw3. This provides evidence for the existence of small model simian chronic HBV infection, immunologically near human and that it might have been transmitted from man hundred years ago.

Theories of HBV origins and evolution

With the advent of the new field of paleovirology, studies have revealed that integration into the nuclear genome of germline cells can lead to vertical inheritance of retroviral genes as host alleles. Such integration events are referred to as endogenous viral elements (EVEs). Paleoviral "fossils" were recently discovered from a wide range of viruses including EVE non-retroviral families (rtDNA viruses) e.g.: Hepadnaviridae.3636. Patel MR, Emerman M, Malik HS. Paleovirology – ghosts and gifts of viruses past. Curr Opin Virol. 2011;1:304–9.,3737. Katzourakis A, Gifford RJ. Endogenous viral elements in animal genomes. PLoS Genet. 2010;6:e1001191. Genomic "fossils" of avihepadnaviruses integrated into the genomes of diverse avian species suggest that the origin of this group is much older dating back several million years to the Mesozoic Era.3838. Gilbert C, Feschotte C. Genomic fossils calibrate the long-term evolution of hepadnaviruses. PLoS Biol. 2010;8.4040. Suh AW, Brosius J, Schmitz J, et al. The genome of a Mesozoic paleovirus reveals the evolution of hepatitis B viruses. Nat Commun. 2013, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms2798.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms2798...
In a recent study, Suh et al.4040. Suh AW, Brosius J, Schmitz J, et al. The genome of a Mesozoic paleovirus reveals the evolution of hepatitis B viruses. Nat Commun. 2013, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms2798.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms2798...
emphasized that "insights into long-term sequence evolution, genome evolution and hypothetical ancestral hosts change the understanding of the prehistoric evolution of Hepadnaviridae, including the hypothetical origin of mammalian HBVs," contributing to several studies in the field of medical and paleontological research. The evolutionary origin of hepadnavirus in primates has been dated back several thousand years.3333. Fares MA, Holmes EC. A revised evolutionary history of hepatitis B virus (HBV). J Mol Evol. 2002;54:807–14. No "fossil" records have been described from primates so far.

Most of our knowledge about pathogenesis and the replication of hepatitis B virus has been obtained from studies of hepadnaviruses related to animals as models, including Duck Hepatitis B Virus (DHBV),4141. Mason WS, Seal G, Summers J. Virus of Pekin ducks with structural and biological relatedness to human hepatitis B virus. J Virol. 1980;36:829–36. Woodchuck Hepatitis virus (WHV),4242. Summers J, Smolec JM, Snyder R. A virus similar to human hepatitis B virus associated with hepatitis and hepatoma in woodchucks. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1978;75:4533–7. Ground Squirrel Hepatitis virus (GSHV),4343. Marion PL, Oshiro LS, Regnery DC, et al. A virus in Beechey ground squirrels that is related to hepatitis B virus of humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1980;77:2941–5. Arctic Squirrel Hepatitis virus (ASHV),4444. Testut P, Renard CA, Terradillos O, et al. A new hepadnavirus endemic in arctic ground squirrels in Alaska. J Virol. 1996;70:4210–9. Heron Hepatitis B Virus (HHBV),4545. Sprengel R, Kaleta EF, Will H. Isolation and characterization of a hepatitis B virus endemic in herons. J Virol. 1988;62:3832–9. and Stork Hepatitis B Virus (STHBV).4646. Pult I, Netter HJ, Bruns M, et al. Identification and analysis of a new hepadnavirus in white storks. Virology. 2001;289:114–28.

Studies about pathogens that affect primates are of great scientific relevance because of their evolutionary relationship with humans. Non-human primates can be sentinels for surveillance of infectious agents and also biological models for important diseases affecting the human species, such as HBV. Checking for diseases common to humans and primates is crucial in reducing risks to the health of humans.4747. Wolfe ND, Escalante AA, Karesh WB, et al. Wild primate populations in emerging infectious disease research: the missing link? Emerg Infect Dis. 1998;4:149–58.

All known hepadnaviruses that affect primates and other animals cause acute and chronic hepatic infection in their hosts.4848. Glebe D, Urban S. Viral and cellular determinants involved in hepadnaviral entry. World J Gastroenterol. 2007;13:22–38. A main characteristic of all the viruses in this family is the possibility of chronic infection with serious clinical consequences.4848. Glebe D, Urban S. Viral and cellular determinants involved in hepadnaviral entry. World J Gastroenterol. 2007;13:22–38.,4949. Liang TJ. Hepatitis B: the virus and disease. Hepatology. 2009;49 5 Suppl.:S13–21. However, what are the implications of the origins of HBV?

During the 1990s, three competing hypotheses about the evolutionary origins of HBV emerged, as reviewed by Simmonds in 2001.2424. Simmonds P. The origin and evolution of hepatitis viruses in humans. J Gen Virol. 2001;82 Pt 4:693–712. A New World origin was proposed because of the phylogenetic co-segregation between the New World HBV genotypes F and H and WMHBV in basal sister-relationship, to the Old World non-human primates and human HBV variants. The dissemination of HBV into the Old World would then have occurred either in the post-Columbian Era (nearly 500 years ago) or during earlier human migrations about 15,000 years ago.3333. Fares MA, Holmes EC. A revised evolutionary history of hepatitis B virus (HBV). J Mol Evol. 2002;54:807–14.,3434. Bollyky PL, Rambaut A, Grassley N, et al. Hepatitis B virus has a recent new world evolutionary origin. J Hepatol. 1998;28:96. A second theory suggests an Old World origin of HBV, and that it was spread following prehistoric human migrations over 100,000 years ago.5050. Magnius LO, Norder H. Subtypes, genotypes and molecular epidemiology of the hepatitis B virus as reflected by sequence variability of the S-gene. Intervirology. 1995;38:24–34. A third theory suggests a co-speciation of HBV in non-human primate hosts because of the proximity between the phylogeny of Old and New World NHP and their HBV variants.2828. MacDonald DM, Holmes EC, Lewis JC, et al. Detection of hepatitis B virus infection in wild-born chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus): phylogenetic relationships with human and other primate genotypes. J Virol. 2000;74:4253–7.

These theoretical approaches were unable to reconcile conflicting data resultant from the distribution of HBV variants in human and non-human primate hosts on a global scale. An example is that the HBV genotypes in Old World primates are mutually equidistant. This is unlikely to have occurred from independent acquisitions of human HBV variants in only a few hundred years, going against the New World origin theory.2424. Simmonds P. The origin and evolution of hepatitis viruses in humans. J Gen Virol. 2001;82 Pt 4:693–712. In relation to the theory of a supposed exodus of HBV together with human migration out of Africa to other areas of the planet does not explain the distribution of HBV genotypes in the world.2424. Simmonds P. The origin and evolution of hepatitis viruses in humans. J Gen Virol. 2001;82 Pt 4:693–712. For example, the New World HBV genotype F that is found in Native Americans is also found in genetically unrelated island populations of Polynesia. The closest relatives of Native Americans living in Northeastern Asia are predominantly infected by genotypes B and C of HBV.2424. Simmonds P. The origin and evolution of hepatitis viruses in humans. J Gen Virol. 2001;82 Pt 4:693–712.

The widely host-specific HBV variants support the theory about HBV co-speciation with primate hosts. However, as noted by Simmonds,2424. Simmonds P. The origin and evolution of hepatitis viruses in humans. J Gen Virol. 2001;82 Pt 4:693–712. this theory is challenged by a lack of shared HBV variants between humans and non-human primates, by the existence of cross-species HBV transmission and by the lack of higher diversification in NHP compared to human HBV variants. These have long been deemed unlikely, but recent data has shown that orangutans and gibbons sharing habitats in Asia harbour phylogenetically co-segregating HBV variants. Similarly, recombination events between HBV genotypes of chimpanzee and gorilla from Central Africa, phylogenetically grouped together and inter-species have been described.2222. Lyons S, Sharp C, LeBreton M, et al. Species association of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in non-human apes; evidence for recombination between gorilla and chimpanzee variants. PLoS ONE. 2012;7:e33430.,2323. Starkman SE, MacDonald DM, Lewis JC, Holmes EC, Simmonds P. Geographic and species association of hepatitis B virus genotypes in non-human primates. Virology. 2003;314:381–93. Furthermore, sporadic detections of human-related HBV genotypes have been described in chimpanzees and Orangutans, both of the Hominidae family.99. Tatematsu K, Tanaka Y, Kurbanov F, et al. A genetic variant of hepatitis B virus divergent from known human and ape genotypes isolated from a Japanese patient and provisionally assigned to new genotype J. J Virol. 2009;83:10538–47.,5151. Takahashi K, Brotman B, Usuda S, et al. Full-genome sequence analyses of hepatitis B virus (HBV) strains recovered from chimpanzees infected in the wild: implications for an origin of HBV. Virology. 2000;267:58–64. Cui5252. Springer MS, Meredith RW, Gatesy J, et al. Macroevolutionary dynamics and historical biogeography of primate diversification inferred from a species supermatrix. PLoS ONE. 2012;7:e49521.suggests that a large number of cross-species transmission events are probably also present in avihepadnaviruses, whose phylogeny does not match that of the host orders Gruiformes and Anseriformes.5252. Springer MS, Meredith RW, Gatesy J, et al. Macroevolutionary dynamics and historical biogeography of primate diversification inferred from a species supermatrix. PLoS ONE. 2012;7:e49521. Gibbons separated genetically from orangutans, gorillas and chimpanzees about 20 million years ago. Despite this, the orangutan and gibbon HBV variants found to date are similar.2222. Lyons S, Sharp C, LeBreton M, et al. Species association of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in non-human apes; evidence for recombination between gorilla and chimpanzee variants. PLoS ONE. 2012;7:e33430.

Evidence of animals as reservoirs, possible recombination between human and non-human primate HBV variants, and inter-species transmissions all provide important information that may assist in the eradication of HBV throughout the world.2828. MacDonald DM, Holmes EC, Lewis JC, et al. Detection of hepatitis B virus infection in wild-born chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus): phylogenetic relationships with human and other primate genotypes. J Virol. 2000;74:4253–7.

Co-evolution of HBV variants in non-human primates is further challenged by the comparable degree of diversification within viruses that affect chimpanzees, gibbons and gorillas, and phylogenetic sister-relationships between these viruses that do not reflect the evolution of their hosts. This includes the absence of outlier gorilla HBV variants in relation to chimpanzee variants and human HBV genotypes F and H in phylogenetic outlier position to the Old World NHP viruses.2222. Lyons S, Sharp C, LeBreton M, et al. Species association of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in non-human apes; evidence for recombination between gorilla and chimpanzee variants. PLoS ONE. 2012;7:e33430. Similarly, this theory fails to explain the position of gibbon HBV variants and their comparable diversification to other primate HBV genotypes (phylogenetically), while they should be more diversified than those of great apes given their divergence from the latter about twenty million years ago.5252. Springer MS, Meredith RW, Gatesy J, et al. Macroevolutionary dynamics and historical biogeography of primate diversification inferred from a species supermatrix. PLoS ONE. 2012;7:e49521. Co-evolution on the scale of the Hepadnaviridae family seems even less likely, given the high diversity of rodent and bird hepadnaviruses from their primate counterparts. As noted above, this does not match the timescale of the likely separation of these variants, which may be only 10–20 times greater than the development of monkey.2222. Lyons S, Sharp C, LeBreton M, et al. Species association of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in non-human apes; evidence for recombination between gorilla and chimpanzee variants. PLoS ONE. 2012;7:e33430.

Attempts to determine a non-recent Hepadnaviridae evolution are compromised by several factors. This includes the sequence constraints arising from largely overlapping ORFs.3333. Fares MA, Holmes EC. A revised evolutionary history of hepatitis B virus (HBV). J Mol Evol. 2002;54:807–14. While this technical problem can be dealt with,3333. Fares MA, Holmes EC. A revised evolutionary history of hepatitis B virus (HBV). J Mol Evol. 2002;54:807–14. there are several recent descriptions of avihepadnavirus genomic fossils.3838. Gilbert C, Feschotte C. Genomic fossils calibrate the long-term evolution of hepadnaviruses. PLoS Biol. 2010;8.,3939. Cui J, Holmes EC. Endogenous hepadnaviruses in the genome of the budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) and the evolution of avian hepadnaviruses. J Virol. 2012;86:7688–91.,5353. Liu W, Pan S, Yang H, et al. The first full-length endogenous hepadnaviruses: identification and analysis. J Virol. 2012;86:9510–3. These sequences have indicated that previous assumptions based on existent HBV variants may have underestimated the period of hepadnaviruses origin in the range of several million years.3838. Gilbert C, Feschotte C. Genomic fossils calibrate the long-term evolution of hepadnaviruses. PLoS Biol. 2010;8. Theoretically, a continuous appearance of infectious viruses from genomic pockets could explain the unusually slow rates of sequence change in the range of 10 per site per year observed that are necessary to explain the sequence divergence between non-human primates HBV hosts in a co-speciation scenario.2424. Simmonds P. The origin and evolution of hepatitis viruses in humans. J Gen Virol. 2001;82 Pt 4:693–712.,3333. Fares MA, Holmes EC. A revised evolutionary history of hepatitis B virus (HBV). J Mol Evol. 2002;54:807–14.

Understanding the relationship between humans and NHP variants of HBV will help explain the possible role that humans and other primates have played in the spread of HBV around the globe.2222. Lyons S, Sharp C, LeBreton M, et al. Species association of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in non-human apes; evidence for recombination between gorilla and chimpanzee variants. PLoS ONE. 2012;7:e33430. No hepadnavirus elements in primate genomic data have been described to date. It is clear that one single theory has been unable to explain the emergence of HBV until now.

Primates in South America

The most plausible scenario to explain the arrival of primates in South America consists of a transatlantic migration at the end of the Eocene epoch. South American platyrrhine primates probably dispersed from either Asian or African catarrhine ancestors about 37–40 million years ago. However, the radiation of platyrrhines in the New World probably occurred during the Miocene epoch,5252. Springer MS, Meredith RW, Gatesy J, et al. Macroevolutionary dynamics and historical biogeography of primate diversification inferred from a species supermatrix. PLoS ONE. 2012;7:e49521.,5454. Poux C, Chevret P, Huchon D, et al. Arrival and diversification of caviomorph rodents and platyrrhine primates in South America. Syst Biol. 2006;55:228–44. although the feasibility of this route is the subject of several debates. The oldest primate fossil discovered in South America is dated to about 27 million years ago.5050. Magnius LO, Norder H. Subtypes, genotypes and molecular epidemiology of the hepatitis B virus as reflected by sequence variability of the S-gene. Intervirology. 1995;38:24–34. Whether Old World hepadnaviruses could have been taken to today's South America by the natural barriers formed by the separation of the sub-continent from the Gondwanan supercontinent about 100 million years ago2828. MacDonald DM, Holmes EC, Lewis JC, et al. Detection of hepatitis B virus infection in wild-born chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus): phylogenetic relationships with human and other primate genotypes. J Virol. 2000;74:4253–7. is something that remains unknown. Hypothetical viruses would then have been passed to several host lineages, because a South American evolution of platyrrhines 100 million years ago is deemed highly unlikely.2828. MacDonald DM, Holmes EC, Lewis JC, et al. Detection of hepatitis B virus infection in wild-born chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus): phylogenetic relationships with human and other primate genotypes. J Virol. 2000;74:4253–7.

The high degree of complexity in epidemiological factors such as transmission routes can affect the large number of HBV variants in circulation. However, the propagation of these viruses can be enhanced with the development of recombinant variants, allowing the virus to be transmitted more efficiently between different species.1010. Simmonds P, Midgley S. Recombination in the genesis and evolution of hepatitis B virus genotypes. J Virol. 2005;79:15467–76.,5555. Sugauchi F, Orito E, Ichida T, et al. Hepatitis B virus of genotype B with or without recombination with genotype C over the precore region plus the core gene. J Virol. 2002;76:5985–92.

There are many primates in South America, and in Brazil alone 133 species and subspecies of Neotropical primates can be found in the wild fauna, which represents approximately 21% of the existing group on the planet5656. Chiarello AG, Aguiar LMS, Cerqueira R, et al. Mamíferos ameaçados de extinção no Brasil. In: Livro vermelho da fauna brasileira ameaçada de extinção. 1st ed. Brasil: Ministério do Meio Ambiente, Brasília; 2008. p. 681–842. (Fig. 2). Wild cycles and urban cycles of transmission of some pathogens start to intertwine forming new epidemiological settings with risks to human and animal populations in both environments.5757. Rylands AB, Mittermeier RA. The diversity of the new world primates (platyrrhini): an annotated taxonomy. Naturally acquired visceral leishmaniasis in non-human primates in Brazil. Vet Parasitol. 2010;169:193–7.,5858. Daszak P, Cunningham AA, Hyatt AD. Emerging infectious diseases of wildlife threats to biodiversity and human health. Science. 2000;287:442–9.

Fig. 2
In green and yellow, the geographic distribution of non-human primates5252. Springer MS, Meredith RW, Gatesy J, et al. Macroevolutionary dynamics and historical biogeography of primate diversification inferred from a species supermatrix. PLoS ONE. 2012;7:e49521.,5454. Poux C, Chevret P, Huchon D, et al. Arrival and diversification of caviomorph rodents and platyrrhine primates in South America. Syst Biol. 2006;55:228–44.,5656. Chiarello AG, Aguiar LMS, Cerqueira R, et al. Mamíferos ameaçados de extinção no Brasil. In: Livro vermelho da fauna brasileira ameaçada de extinção. 1st ed. Brasil: Ministério do Meio Ambiente, Brasília; 2008. p. 681–842.,5757. Rylands AB, Mittermeier RA. The diversity of the new world primates (platyrrhini): an annotated taxonomy. Naturally acquired visceral leishmaniasis in non-human primates in Brazil. Vet Parasitol. 2010;169:193–7.. In yellow, Brazil which has large range of species and subspecies of neotropical non-human primates in the wild fauna, representing approximately 21% of the group in the world.5656. Chiarello AG, Aguiar LMS, Cerqueira R, et al. Mamíferos ameaçados de extinção no Brasil. In: Livro vermelho da fauna brasileira ameaçada de extinção. 1st ed. Brasil: Ministério do Meio Ambiente, Brasília; 2008. p. 681–842.,5757. Rylands AB, Mittermeier RA. The diversity of the new world primates (platyrrhini): an annotated taxonomy. Naturally acquired visceral leishmaniasis in non-human primates in Brazil. Vet Parasitol. 2010;169:193–7.

Until now there has been no study into infectious hepadnavirus in non-human primates of the fauna in South America and it is not known whether the existing species in the New World may or may not be carrying the hepatitis B virus that infects humans, or if it is another variant of the Hepadnaviridae family. Therefore, to investigate the presence of these viruses in this area it is important to try to help unravel the origin of the Hepadnaviruses and how they evolved in primates and humans.

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Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    Sept-Oct 2014

History

  • Received
    28 Sept 2013
  • Accepted
    13 Dec 2013
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