1
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Zhou J, Hua Y, Liu Y, Wu T, Xu H, Wang Z, Wang X, Niu J. A mutual regulatory loop between transcription factor Yin Yang 1 and hepatitis B virus replication influences chronic hepatitis B. Antiviral Res 2024; 226:105889. [PMID: 38631661 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.105889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections pose a major threat to human health. HBV can upregulate the expression of the transcription factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1) in in vitro cytological experiments, suggesting an association between YY1 and HBV infection. However, data on YY1 expression in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients are lacking. In this study, we aimed to assess the correlation between YY1 expression and HBV infection. We detected serum YY1 levels in 420 patients with chronic HBV infection, 30 patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection, and 32 healthy controls using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The correlation between YY1 levels and clinical parameters was analyzed. Meanwhile, the changes of YY1 before and after interferon or entecavir treatment were analyzed. YY1 levels in the liver tissues were detected using immunofluorescence staining. The expression of YY1 in HBV-expressing cells was detected through western blotting. Meanwhile, we explored the effects of YY1 on HBV replication and gene expression. We found that YY1 was highly expressed in the serum and liver tissues of CHB patients. Serum YY1 levels positively correlated with HBV DNA and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Additionally, HBV DNA levels increased but HBsAg levels decreased after HBV-expressing cells overexpress YY1. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that YY1 plays an important role in HBV replication and gene expression, providing a potential target for the treatment of CHB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhou
- Department of Hepatology, Centre of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China
| | - Yunhao Hua
- Infection Control Department, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China
| | - Yuwei Liu
- Department of Hepatology, Centre of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China
| | - Tong Wu
- Department of Hepatology, Centre of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China
| | - Hongqin Xu
- Department of Hepatology, Centre of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China
| | - Zhongfeng Wang
- Department of Hepatology, Centre of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China
| | - Xiaomei Wang
- Department of Hepatology, Centre of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China.
| | - Junqi Niu
- Department of Hepatology, Centre of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China.
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2
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Shen S, Yan R, Xie Z, Yu X, Liang H, You Q, Zhang H, Hou J, Zhang X, Liu Y, Sun J, Guo H. Tripartite Motif-Containing Protein 65 (TRIM65) Inhibits Hepatitis B Virus Transcription. Viruses 2024; 16:890. [PMID: 38932182 PMCID: PMC11209081 DOI: 10.3390/v16060890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Tripartite motif (TRIM) proteins, comprising a family of over 100 members with conserved motifs, exhibit diverse biological functions. Several TRIM proteins influence viral infections through direct antiviral mechanisms or by regulating host antiviral innate immune responses. To identify TRIM proteins modulating hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication, we assessed 45 human TRIMs in HBV-transfected HepG2 cells. Our study revealed that ectopic expression of 12 TRIM proteins significantly reduced HBV RNA and subsequent capsid-associated DNA levels. Notably, TRIM65 uniquely downregulated viral pregenomic (pg) RNA in an HBV-promoter-specific manner, suggesting a targeted antiviral effect. Mechanistically, TRIM65 inhibited HBV replication primarily at the transcriptional level via its E3 ubiquitin ligase activity and intact B-box domain. Though HNF4α emerged as a potential TRIM65 substrate, disrupting its binding site on the HBV genome did not completely abolish TRIM65's antiviral effect. In addition, neither HBx expression nor cellular MAVS signaling was essential to TRIM65-mediated regulation of HBV transcription. Furthermore, CRISPR-mediated knock-out of TRIM65 in the HepG2-NTCP cells boosted HBV infection, validating its endogenous role. These findings underscore TRIM proteins' capacity to inhibit HBV transcription and highlight TRIM65's pivotal role in this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Shen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases Research in South China, Ministry of Education, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (S.S.); (Z.X.); (H.L.); (Q.Y.); (J.H.); (X.Z.)
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics; Cancer Virology Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; (X.Y.); (H.Z.); (Y.L.)
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA;
| | - Ran Yan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA;
| | - Zhanglian Xie
- Department of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases Research in South China, Ministry of Education, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (S.S.); (Z.X.); (H.L.); (Q.Y.); (J.H.); (X.Z.)
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA;
| | - Xiaoyang Yu
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics; Cancer Virology Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; (X.Y.); (H.Z.); (Y.L.)
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA;
| | - Hongyan Liang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases Research in South China, Ministry of Education, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (S.S.); (Z.X.); (H.L.); (Q.Y.); (J.H.); (X.Z.)
| | - Qiuhong You
- Department of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases Research in South China, Ministry of Education, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (S.S.); (Z.X.); (H.L.); (Q.Y.); (J.H.); (X.Z.)
| | - Hu Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics; Cancer Virology Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; (X.Y.); (H.Z.); (Y.L.)
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA;
| | - Jinlin Hou
- Department of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases Research in South China, Ministry of Education, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (S.S.); (Z.X.); (H.L.); (Q.Y.); (J.H.); (X.Z.)
| | - Xiaoyong Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases Research in South China, Ministry of Education, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (S.S.); (Z.X.); (H.L.); (Q.Y.); (J.H.); (X.Z.)
| | - Yuanjie Liu
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics; Cancer Virology Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; (X.Y.); (H.Z.); (Y.L.)
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA;
| | - Jian Sun
- Department of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases Research in South China, Ministry of Education, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (S.S.); (Z.X.); (H.L.); (Q.Y.); (J.H.); (X.Z.)
| | - Haitao Guo
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics; Cancer Virology Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; (X.Y.); (H.Z.); (Y.L.)
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA;
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Matrenec R, Oropeza CE, Dekoven E, Tarnow G, Maienschein-Cline M, Chau CS, Green SJ, McLachlan A. Ten-eleven translocation (Tet) methylcytosine dioxygenase-dependent viral DNA demethylation mediates in vivo hepatitis B virus (HBV) biosynthesis. J Virol 2024; 98:e0172123. [PMID: 38179947 PMCID: PMC10878274 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01721-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver-specific ten-eleven translocation (Tet) methylcytosine dioxygenases 2 and 3 (Tet2 plus Tet3)-deficient hepatitis B virus (HBV) transgenic mice fail to support viral biosynthesis. The levels of viral transcription and replication intermediates are dramatically reduced. Hepatitis B core antigen is only observed in a very limited number of pericentral hepatocytes in a pattern that is similar to glutamate-ammonia ligase (Glul), a β-catenin target gene. HBV transcript abundance in adult Tet-deficient mice resembles that observed in wild-type neonatal mice. Furthermore, the RNA levels of several β-catenin target genes including Glul, Lhpp, Notun, Oat, Slc1a2, and Tbx3 in Tet-deficient mice were also similar to that observed in wild-type neonatal mice. As HBV transcription is regulated by β-catenin, these findings support the suggestion that neonatal Tet deficiency might limit β-catenin target gene expression, limiting viral biosynthesis. Additionally, HBV transgene DNA displays increased 5-methylcytosine (5mC) frequency at CpG sequences consistent with neonatal Tet deficiency being responsible for decreased developmental viral DNA demethylation mediated by 5mC oxidation to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, a process that might be responsible for the reduction in cellular β-catenin target gene expression and viral transcription and replication.IMPORTANCEChronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection causes significant worldwide morbidity and mortality. There are no curative therapies available to resolve chronic HBV infections, and the small viral genome limits molecular targets for drug development. An alternative approach to drug development is to target cellular genes essential for HBV biosynthesis. In the liver, ten-eleven translocation (Tet) genes encode cellular enzymes that are not essential for postnatal mouse development but represent essential activities for viral DNA demethylation and transcription. Consequently, Tet inhibitors may potentially be developed into therapeutic agents capable of inducing and/or maintaining HBV covalently closed circular DNA methylation, resulting in transcriptional silencing and the resolution of chronic viral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Matrenec
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Claudia E. Oropeza
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Eddie Dekoven
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Grant Tarnow
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Mark Maienschein-Cline
- Research Informatics Core, Research Resources Center, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Cecilia S. Chau
- Genomics and Microbiome Core Facility, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Stefan J. Green
- Genomics and Microbiome Core Facility, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Alan McLachlan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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4
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Liu M, Song Y, Li Y, Yang X, Zhuang H, Li J, Wang J. C2729T mutation associated with HBV mother-to-child transmission reduces HBV production via suppressing LHBs expression. Virulence 2023; 14:2189676. [PMID: 36919573 PMCID: PMC10026911 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2023.2189676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) is still the main route of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. However, the virological factors affecting HBV MTCT have not been fully elucidated. In this study, based on a prospective cohort of mother-infant pairs with positive maternal hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), we found that the average nucleotide mutation rate of HBV preS1 promoter (SPI) region in the immunoprophylaxis success group was significantly higher than that in the immunoprophylaxis failure group. Among the nucleotide mutations of the HBV SPI region, the C2729T mutation had the highest frequency. Next, we found that the C2729T mutation promoted HBsAg release but reduced HBV production by suppressing the expression of large hepatitis B surface antigen (LHBs), and overexpressing LHBs could rescue this phenomenon. Based on the fact that the C2729T mutation could alter the binding site of hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 (HNF1) in the HBV SPI region, we uncovered that such an alteration could downregulate the transcriptional activity of SPI by attenuating the binding ability of HNF1 and HBV SPI region. This study suggests that HBV C2729T mutation may contribute to the immunoprophylaxis success of HBV MTCT by reducing HBV production, which supplements the virological factors affecting HBV MTCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minmin Liu
- Department of Microbiology & Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Yarong Song
- Department of Microbiology & Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Li
- Department of Microbiology & Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Xingwen Yang
- Department of Microbiology & Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Zhuang
- Department of Microbiology & Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Microbiology & Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Department of Microbiology & Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Peking University, Beijing, China
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5
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Xie Z, Shen S, Huang K, Wang W, Liu Z, Zhang H, Lu M, Sun J, Hou J, Liu H, Guo H, Zhang X. Mitochondrial HIGD1A inhibits hepatitis B virus transcription and replication through the cellular PNKD-NF-κB-NR2F1 nexus. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e28749. [PMID: 37185850 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) replication has been reported to be restricted by the intrahepatic host restriction factors and antiviral signaling pathways. The intracellular mechanisms underlying the significant viremia difference among different phases of the natural history chronic HBV infection remain elusive. We herein report that the hypoxia-induced gene domain protein-1a (HIGD1A) was highly expressed in the liver of inactive HBV carriers with low viremia. Ectopic expression of HIGD1A in hepatocyte-derived cells significantly inhibited HBV transcription and replication in a dose-dependent manner, while silence of HIGD1A promoted HBV gene expression and replication. Similar results were also observed in both de novo HBV-infected cell culture model and HBV persistence mouse model. Mechanistically, HIGD1A is located on the mitochondrial inner membrane and activates nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway through binding to paroxysmal nonkinesigenic dyskinesia (PNKD), which further enhances the expression of a transcription factor NR2F1 to inhibit HBV transcription and replication. Consistently, knockdown of PNKD or NR2F1 and blockage of NF-κB signaling pathway abrogated the inhibitory effect of HIGD1A on HBV replication. Mitochondrial HIGD1A exploits the PNKD-NF-κB-NR2F1 nexus to act as a host restriction factor of HBV infection. Our study thus shed new lights on the regulation of HBV by hypoxia-related genes and related antiviral strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanglian Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Sheng Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics; Cancer Virology Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kuiyuan Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weibin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ziying Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haixing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mengji Lu
- Institute of Virology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Jian Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinlin Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongyan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haitao Guo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics; Cancer Virology Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Xiaoyong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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6
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The scientific basis of combination therapy for chronic hepatitis B functional cure. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 20:238-253. [PMID: 36631717 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-022-00724-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Functional cure of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) - or hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss after 24 weeks off therapy - is now the goal of treatment, but is rarely achieved with current therapy. Understanding the hepatitis B virus (HBV) life cycle and immunological defects that lead to persistence can identify targets for novel therapy. Broadly, treatments fall into three categories: those that reduce viral replication, those that reduce antigen load and immunotherapies. Profound viral suppression alone does not achieve quantitative (q)HBsAg reduction or HBsAg loss. Combining nucleos(t)ide analogues and immunotherapy reduces qHBsAg levels and induces HBsAg loss in some patients, particularly those with low baseline qHBsAg levels. Even agents that are specifically designed to reduce viral antigen load might not be able to achieve sustained HBsAg loss when used alone. Thus, rationale exists for the use of combinations of all three therapy types. Monitoring during therapy is important not just to predict HBsAg loss but also to understand mechanisms of HBsAg loss using viral and immunological biomarkers, and in selected cases intrahepatic sampling. We consider various paths to functional cure of CHB and the need to individualize treatment of this heterogeneous infection until a therapeutic avenue for all patients with CHB is available.
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7
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Tarnow G, Matrenec R, Oropeza CE, Maienschein-Cline M, McLachlan A. Distinct phenotypic spectra of hepatocellular carcinoma in liver-specific tumor suppressor-deficient hepatitis B virus transgenic mice. Virology 2022; 574:84-95. [PMID: 35961146 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2022.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The hepatitis B virus (HBV) transgenic mouse model was used to interrogate the origins of HCC heterogeneity. HBV biosynthesis was used as a marker of liver tumor heterogeneity. Principal component and correlation analysis of HBV and cellular transcript levels demonstrated major differences within and between the gene expression profiles of Apc-deficient, Apc-deficient Pten-deficient, and Pten-deficient HCC. Hence, both oncogenic stimuli and zonal hepatocyte properties determine heterogeneous HCC phenotypes. Additionally, Apc-deficient HCC display decreased expression of Apob, Otc and Tet2 relative to Pten-deficient HCC and control liver tissue suggesting their gene products may represent markers of Apc-deficient HCC. A subset of human HCC with mutations in the β-catenin gene (CTNNB1) displayed a gene expression profile similar to that observed in the mouse Apc-deficient HCC indicating this model of liver cancer may be useful for interrogating the molecular properties of these tumors and their potential therapeutic vulnerabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant Tarnow
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 909 South Wolcott Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Rachel Matrenec
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 909 South Wolcott Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Claudia E Oropeza
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 909 South Wolcott Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Mark Maienschein-Cline
- Research Resources Center, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 835 South Wolcott Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Alan McLachlan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 909 South Wolcott Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
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8
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HBx 128–133 Deletion Affecting HBV Mother-to-Child Transmission Weakens HBV Replication via Reducing HBx Level and CP/ENII Transcriptional Activity. Viruses 2022; 14:v14091887. [PMID: 36146694 PMCID: PMC9506584 DOI: 10.3390/v14091887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Some infants born to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive mothers, especially born to hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive mothers, can still be infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) through mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HBV and develop chronic HBV infection. At present, the virological factors affecting HBV MTCT are still unclear. In this study, we found that the mutation rates of amino acids in the HBV X region were high, and there were obvious differences between the immunoprophylaxis success group and the immunoprophylaxis failure group of HBeAg-positive mothers. Specifically, the mutation rate of HBx 128–133 deletion (x128–133del) or corresponding nucleotide 1755–1772 deletion (nt1755–1772del) in the immunoprophylaxis success group was significantly higher than that in the immunoprophylaxis failure group. Furthermore, we found that x128–133del could weaken HBV replication by reducing the level of the HBx protein due to the increased proteasome-dependent degradation of HBx protein, and the transcriptional activity of HBV core promoter (CP)/enhancer II (ENII) due to the attenuated binding capacity of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) to HBV CP/ENII. This study suggests that x128–133del may contribute to immunoprophylaxis success, which may be helpful in clarifying the virological mechanism affecting HBV MTCT and formulating an optimal immunization strategy for children born to HBeAg-positive mothers.
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9
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Hepatitis B virus X protein counteracts high mobility group box 1 protein-mediated epigenetic silencing of covalently closed circular DNA. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010576. [PMID: 35679251 PMCID: PMC9182688 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), serving as the viral persistence form and transcription template of HBV infection, hijacks host histone and non-histone proteins to form a minichromosome and utilizes posttranslational modifications (PTMs) "histone code" for its transcriptional regulation. HBV X protein (HBx) is known as a cccDNA transcription activator. In this study we established a dual system of the inducible reporter cell lines modelling infection with wildtype (wt) and HBx-null HBV, both secreting HA-tagged HBeAg as a semi-quantitative marker for cccDNA transcription. The cccDNA-bound histone PTM profiling of wt and HBx-null systems, using chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled with quantitative PCR (ChIP-qPCR), confirmed that HBx is essential for maintenance of cccDNA at transcriptionally active state, characterized by active histone PTM markers. Differential proteomics analysis of cccDNA minichromosome established in wt and HBx-null HBV cell lines revealed group-specific hits. One of the hits in HBx-deficient condition was a non-histone host DNA-binding protein high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1). Its elevated association to HBx-null cccDNA was validated by ChIP-qPCR assay in both the HBV stable cell lines and infection systems in vitro. Furthermore, experimental downregulation of HMGB1 in HBx-null HBV inducible and infection models resulted in transcriptional re-activation of the cccDNA minichromosome, accompanied by a switch of the cccDNA-associated histones to euchromatic state with activating histone PTMs landscape and subsequent upregulation of cccDNA transcription. Mechanistically, HBx interacts with HMGB1 and prevents its binding to cccDNA without affecting the steady state level of HMGB1. Taken together, our results suggest that HMGB1 is a novel host restriction factor of HBV cccDNA with epigenetic silencing mechanism, which can be counteracted by viral transcription activator HBx.
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Wu DQ, Ding QY, Tao NN, Tan M, Zhang Y, Li F, Zhou YJ, Dong ML, Cheng ST, Ren F, Chen J, Ren JH. SIRT2 Promotes HBV Transcription and Replication by Targeting Transcription Factor p53 to Increase the Activities of HBV Enhancers and Promoters. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:836446. [PMID: 35663860 PMCID: PMC9161175 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.836446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) virus infection is one of the leading causes of cirrhosis and liver cancer. Although the major drugs against CHB including nucleos(t)ide analogs and PEG-interferon can effectively control human hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, complete cure of HBV infection is quite rare. Targeting host factors involved in the viral life cycle contributes to developing innovative therapeutic strategies to improve HBV clearance. In this study, we found that the mRNA and protein levels of SIRT2, a class III histone deacetylase, were significantly upregulated in CHB patients, and that SIRT2 protein level was positively correlated with HBV viral load, HBsAg/HBeAg levels, HBcrAg, and ALT/AST levels. Functional analysis confirmed that ectopic SIRT2 overexpression markedly increased total HBV RNAs, 3.5-kb RNA and HBV core DNA in HBV-infected HepG2-Na+/taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide cells and primary human hepatocytes. In contrast, SIRT2 silencing inhibited HBV transcription and replication. In addition, we found a positive correlation between SIRT2 expression and HBV RNAs synthesis as well as HBV covalently closed circular DNA transcriptional activity. A mechanistic study suggested that SIRT2 enhances the activities of HBV enhancer I/HBx promoter (EnI/Xp) and enhancer II/HBc promoter (EnII/Cp) by targeting the transcription factor p53. The levels of HBV EnI/Xp and EnII/Cp-bound p53 were modulated by SIRT2. Both the mutation of p53 binding sites in EnI/Xp and EnII/Cp as well as overexpression of p53 abolished the effect of SIRT2 on HBV transcription and replication. In conclusion, our study reveals that, in terms of host factors, a SIRT2-targeted program might be a more effective therapeutic strategy for HBV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dai-Qing Wu
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases (Chinese Ministry of Education), Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qiu-Ying Ding
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases, Centre for Lipid Research, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Na-Na Tao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Chongqing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Ming Tan
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases (Chinese Ministry of Education), Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuan Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases (Chinese Ministry of Education), Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Fan Li
- Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yu-Jiao Zhou
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases (Chinese Ministry of Education), Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Mei-Ling Dong
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases (Chinese Ministry of Education), Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Sheng-Tao Cheng
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases (Chinese Ministry of Education), Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Fang Ren
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Chongqing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Juan Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases (Chinese Ministry of Education), Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ji-Hua Ren
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases (Chinese Ministry of Education), Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Ji-Hua Ren,
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11
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Macrophages activated by hepatitis B virus have distinct metabolic profiles and suppress the virus via IL-1β to downregulate PPARα and FOXO3. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110284. [PMID: 35081341 PMCID: PMC8830375 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Macrophages display phenotypic plasticity and can be induced by hepatitis B virus (HBV) to undergo either M1-like pro-inflammatory or M2-like anti-inflammatory polarization. Here, we report that M1-like macrophages stimulated by HBV exhibit a strong HBV-suppressive effect, which is diminished in M2-like macrophages. Transcriptomic analysis reveals that HBV induces the expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in M1-like macrophages, which display a high oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) activity distinct from that of conventional M1-like macrophages. Further analysis indicates that OXPHOS attenuates the expression of IL-1β, which suppresses the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) and forkhead box O3 (FOXO3) in hepatocytes to suppress HBV gene expression and replication. Moreover, multiple HBV proteins can induce the expression of IL-1β in macrophages. Our results thus indicate that macrophages can respond to HBV by producing IL-1β to suppress HBV replication. However, HBV can also metabolically reprogram macrophages to enhance OXPHOS to minimize this host antiviral response.
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12
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Ma X, Li H, Gong Y, Liu F, Tong X, Zhu F, Yang X, Yang L, Zuo J. Psoralen inhibits hepatitis B viral replication by down-regulating the host transcriptional machinery of viral promoters. Virol Sin 2022; 37:256-265. [PMID: 35305922 PMCID: PMC9170971 DOI: 10.1016/j.virs.2022.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a global public health challenge due to its highly contagious nature. It is estimated that almost 300 million people live with chronic HBV infection annually. Although nucleoside analogs markedly reduce the risk of liver disease progression, the analogs do not fully eradicate the virus. As such, new treatment options and drugs are urgently needed. Psoralen is a nourishing monomer of Chinese herb and is known to inhibit virus replication and inactivate viruses. In this study, we evaluated the potential of psoralen as an anti-HBV agent. Quantitative PCR and Southern blot analysis revealed that psoralen inhibited HBV replication in HepG2.2.15 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, psoralen was also active against the 3TC/ETV-dual-resistant HBV mutant. Further investigations revealed that psoralen suppressed both HBV RNA transcription and core protein expression. The transcription factor FOXO1, a known target for PGC1α co-activation, binds to HBV pre-core/core promoter enhancer II region and activates HBV RNA transcription. Co-immunoprecipitation showed that psoralen suppressed the expression of FOXO1, thereby decreasing the binding of FOXO1 co-activator PGC1α to the HBV promoter. Overall, our results demonstrate that psoralen suppresses HBV RNA transcription by down-regulating the expression of FOXO1 resulting in a reduction of HBV replication. Psoralen is a nourishing monomer of Chinese herb that inhibits the replication of HBV. Psoralen decreases the expression of transcription factor FOXO1 of pre-core/core promoter. Psoralen suppresses HBV replication by down-regulation FOXO1 in HBV-producing cells.
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13
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Canonical and Divergent N-Terminal HBx Isoform Proteins Unveiled: Characteristics and Roles during HBV Replication. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9111701. [PMID: 34829930 PMCID: PMC8616016 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9111701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) X protein (HBx) is a viral regulatory and multifunctional protein. It is well-known that the canonical HBx reading frame bears two phylogenetically conserved internal in-frame translational initiation codons at Met2 and Met3, thus possibly generating divergent N-terminal smaller isoforms during translation. Here, we demonstrate that the three distinct HBx isoforms are generated from the ectopically expressed HBV HBx gene, named XF (full-length), XM (medium-length), and XS (short-length); they display different subcellular localizations when expressed individually in cultured hepatoma cells. Particularly, the smallest HBx isoform, XS, displayed a predominantly cytoplasmic localization. To study HBx proteins during viral replication, we performed site-directed mutagenesis to target the individual or combinatorial expression of the HBx isoforms within the HBV viral backbone (full viral genome). Our results indicate that of all HBx isoforms, only the smallest HBx isoform, XS, can restore WT levels of HBV replication, and bind to the viral mini chromosome, thereby establishing an active chromatin state, highlighting its crucial activities during HBV replication. Intriguingly, we found that sequences of HBV HBx genotype H are devoid of the conserved Met3 position, and therefore HBV genotype H infection is naturally silent for the expression of the HBx XS isoform. Finally, we found that the HBx XM (medium-length) isoform shares significant sequence similarity with the N-terminus domain of the COMMD8 protein, a member of the copper metabolism MURR1 domain-containing (COMMD) protein family. This novel finding might facilitate studies on the phylogenetic origin of the HBV X protein. The identification and functional characterization of its isoforms will shift the paradigm by changing the concept of HBx from being a unique, canonical, and multifunctional protein toward the occurrence of different HBx isoforms, carrying out different overlapping functions at different subcellular localizations during HBV genome replication. Significantly, our current work unveils new crucial HBV targets to study for potential antiviral research, and human virus pathogenesis.
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14
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Jia W, Xu C, Li SC. Resolving complex structures at oncovirus integration loci with conjugate graph. Brief Bioinform 2021; 22:6359003. [PMID: 34463709 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbab359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Oncovirus integrations cause copy number variations and complex structural variations (SVs) on host genomes. However, the understanding of how inserted viral DNA impacts the local genome remains limited. The linear structure of the oncovirus integrated local genomic map (LGM) will lay the foundations to understand how oncovirus integrations emerge and compromise the host genome's functioning. We propose a conjugate graph model to reconstruct the rearranged LGM at integrated loci. Simulation tests prove the reliability and credibility of the algorithm. Applications of the algorithm to whole-genome sequencing data of human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected cancer samples gained biological insights on oncovirus integrations. We observed four affection patterns of oncovirus integrations from the HPV and HBV-integrated cancer samples, including the coding-frame truncation, hyper-amplification of tumor gene, the viral cis-regulation inserted at the single intron and at the intergenic region. We found that the focal duplicates and host SVs are frequent in the HPV-integrated LGMs, while the focal deletions are prevalent in HBV-integrated LGMs. Furthermore, with the results yields from our method, we found the enhanced microhomology-mediated end joining might lead to both HPV and HBV integrations and conjectured that the HPV integrations might mainly occur during the DNA replication process. The conjugate graph algorithm code and LGM construction pipeline, available at https://github.com/deepomicslab/FuseSV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenlong Jia
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Chang Xu
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Shuai Cheng Li
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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15
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Moon IY, Kim JW. Methylation profile of hepatitis B virus is not influenced by interferon α in human liver cancer cells. Mol Med Rep 2021; 24:715. [PMID: 34396432 PMCID: PMC8383030 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2021.12354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Interferon (IFN) α is used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, but the molecular mechanisms underlying its antiviral effect have not been fully elucidated. Epigenetic modifications regulate the transcriptional activity of covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in cells with chronic HBV infection. IFN‑α has been shown to modify cccDNA‑bound histones, but it is not known whether the anti‑HBV effect of IFN‑α involves methylation of cccDNA. The present study aimed to determine whether IFN‑α induced methylation of HBV cccDNA in a cell‑based model in which HepG2 cells were directly infected with wild‑type HBV virions. Methylation status of HBV cccDNA was assessed using global DNA methylation ELISA assay, methylation‑specific PCR and bisulfite sequencing. IFN‑α suppressed HBV DNA and RNA transcripts, but methylation profiles were similar between the control and IFN‑α treated groups. Chromatin immunoprecipitation results revealed binding of DNA methyltransferases (DNMT) 3A and DNMT3B to HBV cccDNA and treatment with IFN‑α suppressed the recruitment of DNMT3B to cccDNA. Taken together, these results suggest that IFN‑α does not induce methylation of HBV cccDNA. Therefore, it was concluded that methylation is unlikely to contribute to the anti‑HBV effect of IFN‑α in HepG2 cells, and that alternative mechanisms need to be sought to enhance cccDNA methylation as a novel therapy against HBV.
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Affiliation(s)
- In Young Moon
- Department of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Gyeonggi 13620, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Wook Kim
- Department of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Gyeonggi 13620, Republic of Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
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16
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Lv X, Xiang X, Wu Y, Liu Y, Xu R, Xiang Q, Lai G. GATA binding protein 4 promotes the expression and transcription of hepatitis B virus by facilitating hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha in vitro. Virol J 2021; 18:196. [PMID: 34583732 PMCID: PMC8479913 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-021-01668-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background GATA binding protein 4 (GATA4) has been reported as a potential target of gene therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is well known that the main cause of HCC is the chronic infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV). However, whether the effect of GATA4 on HBV has not yet been reported. Methods In this study, the regulation of GATA4 on HBV was analyzed in vitro. In turn, the effect of HBV on GATA4 was also observed in vitro, in vivo, and clinical HCC patients. Subsequently, we analyzed whether the effect of GATA4 on HBV was related to hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4α) in vitro. Results The results showed that GATA4 significantly promoted the secretion of HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) and HBV e antigen in the cell culture medium, improved the replication of HBV genomic DNA, and increased the level of HBV 3.5 kb pre-genomic RNA and HBV total RNA (P < 0.05). Moreover, it was showed that HBV had no significant effect on GATA4 in vitro and in vivo (P > 0.05). At the same time, GATA4 expression was decreased in 78.9% (15/19) of HCC patients regardless of the HBV and HBsAg status. Among them, there were 76.9% (10/13) in HBV-associated patients with HCC (HBV-HCC), and 83.3% (5/6) in non-HBV-HCC patients. In addition, the expression of HNF4α was also up-regulated or down-regulated accordingly when stimulating or interfering with the expression of GATA4. Furthermore, stimulating the expression of HNF4α could only alleviate the HBsAg level and HBV transcription levels, but had no significant effect on GATA4. Conclusions In summary, this study found that GATA4 has a positive effect on HBV, and the potential pathway may be related to another transcription factor HNF4α that regulates HBV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqin Lv
- Laboratory Animal Center of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Xia Xiang
- Laboratory Animal Center of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Yue Wu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 40010, China
| | - Yang Liu
- LuXian No. 2 High School, Sichuan, 646100, China
| | - Ruqing Xu
- Laboratory Animal Center of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Qin Xiang
- Molecular Oncology and Epigenetics Laboratory of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Guoqi Lai
- Laboratory Animal Center of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China.
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17
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Sun Z, Qiao D, Shi Y, Barz M, Liu L, Chen Y. Precision Wormlike Nanoadjuvant Governs Potency of Vaccination. NANO LETTERS 2021; 21:7236-7243. [PMID: 34459617 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c02274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
It remains unclear how the precise length of one-dimensional nanovehicles influences the characters of vaccination. Here, a unimolecular nanovehicle with tailored size and aspect ratio (AR) is applied to deliver CpG oligodeoxynucleotide, a Toll-like receptor (TLR) 9 agonist, as an adjuvant of recombinant hepatitis B virus surface antigen (rHBsAg), for treating chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Cationic nanovehicles with fixed width (ca. 45 nm) but varied length (46 nm-180 nm), AR from 1 to 4, are prepared through controlled polymerization and are loaded with CpG by electrostatic interaction. We reveal that the nanoadjuvant with AR = 2 shows the highest retention in proximal lymph nodes. Importantly, it is more easily internalized into antigen-presenting cells and accumulates in the late endosome, where TLR9 is located. Such a nanoadjuvant exhibits the strongest immune response with rHBsAg to clear the hepatitis B virus in the CHB mouse model, showing that the AR of nanovehicles governs the efficiency of vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyang Sun
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory for Polymeric Composite and Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Dongdong Qiao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory for Polymeric Composite and Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Yi Shi
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory for Polymeric Composite and Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Matthias Barz
- Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Division of Biotherapeutics, Laboratory for Biotherapeutic Delivery, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department Chemie, Johannes Gutenberg University, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55099 Mainz, Germany
| | - Lixin Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory for Polymeric Composite and Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Yongming Chen
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory for Polymeric Composite and Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China
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18
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Ligat G, Verrier ER, Nassal M, Baumert TF. Hepatitis B virus-host interactions and novel targets for viral cure. Curr Opin Virol 2021; 49:41-51. [PMID: 34029994 PMCID: PMC7613419 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2021.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Chronic infection with HBV is a major cause of advanced liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. Nucleos(t)ide analogues effectively control HBV replication but viral cure is rare. Hence treatment has often to be administered for an indefinite duration, increasing the risk for selection of drug resistant virus variants. PEG-interferon-α-based therapies can sometimes cure infection but suffer from a low response rate and severe side-effects. CHB is characterized by the persistence of a nuclear covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), which is not targeted by approved drugs. Targeting host factors which contribute to the viral life cycle provides new opportunities for the development of innovative therapeutic strategies aiming at HBV cure. An improved understanding of the host immune system has resulted in new potentially curative candidate approaches. Here, we review the recent advances in understanding HBV-host interactions and highlight how this knowledge contributes to exploiting host-targeting strategies for a viral cure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaëtan Ligat
- Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; Inserm, Institut de Recherche sur les Maladies Virales et Hépatiques UMRS 1110, F-67000 Strasbourg, France.
| | - Eloi R Verrier
- Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; Inserm, Institut de Recherche sur les Maladies Virales et Hépatiques UMRS 1110, F-67000 Strasbourg, France.
| | - Michael Nassal
- University Hospital Freiburg, Dept. of Internal Medicine 2/Molecular Biology, D79106 Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Thomas F Baumert
- Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; Inserm, Institut de Recherche sur les Maladies Virales et Hépatiques UMRS 1110, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire, Pôle Hépato-digestif, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
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19
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Qu B, Brown RJP. Strategies to Inhibit Hepatitis B Virus at the Transcript Level. Viruses 2021; 13:v13071327. [PMID: 34372533 PMCID: PMC8310268 DOI: 10.3390/v13071327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Approximately 240 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV), despite four decades of effective HBV vaccination. During chronic infection, HBV forms two distinct templates responsible for viral transcription: (1) episomal covalently closed circular (ccc)DNA and (2) host genome-integrated viral templates. Multiple ubiquitous and liver-specific transcription factors are recruited onto these templates and modulate viral gene transcription. This review details the latest developments in antivirals that inhibit HBV gene transcription or destabilize viral transcripts. Notably, nuclear receptor agonists exhibit potent inhibition of viral gene transcription from cccDNA. Small molecule inhibitors repress HBV X protein-mediated transcription from cccDNA, while small interfering RNAs and single-stranded oligonucleotides result in transcript degradation from both cccDNA and integrated templates. These antivirals mediate their effects by reducing viral transcripts abundance, some leading to a loss of surface antigen expression, and they can potentially be added to the arsenal of drugs with demonstrable anti-HBV activity. Thus, these candidates deserve special attention for future repurposing or further development as anti-HBV therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingqian Qu
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, Paul Ehrlich Institute, 63225 Langen, Germany
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Correspondence: (B.Q.); (R.J.P.B.)
| | - Richard J. P. Brown
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, Paul Ehrlich Institute, 63225 Langen, Germany
- Correspondence: (B.Q.); (R.J.P.B.)
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20
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Wing PAC, Liu PJ, Harris JM, Magri A, Michler T, Zhuang X, Borrmann H, Minisini R, Frampton NR, Wettengel JM, Mailly L, D'Arienzo V, Riedl T, Nobre L, Weekes MP, Pirisi M, Heikenwalder M, Baumert TF, Hammond EM, Mole DR, Protzer U, Balfe P, McKeating JA. Hypoxia inducible factors regulate hepatitis B virus replication by activating the basal core promoter. J Hepatol 2021; 75:64-73. [PMID: 33516779 PMCID: PMC8214165 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2020.12.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs) are a hallmark of inflammation and are key regulators of hepatic immunity and metabolism, yet their role in HBV replication is poorly defined. HBV replicates in hepatocytes within the liver, a naturally hypoxic organ, however most studies of viral replication are performed under conditions of atmospheric oxygen, where HIFs are inactive. We therefore investigated the role of HIFs in regulating HBV replication. METHODS Using cell culture, animal models, human tissue and pharmacological agents inhibiting the HIF-prolyl hydroxylases, we investigated the impact of hypoxia on the HBV life cycle. RESULTS Culturing liver cell-based model systems under low oxygen uncovered a new role for HIFs in binding HBV DNA and activating the basal core promoter, leading to increased pre-genomic RNA and de novo HBV particle secretion. The presence of hypoxia responsive elements among all primate members of the hepadnaviridae highlights an evolutionary conserved role for HIFs in regulating this virus family. CONCLUSIONS Identifying a role for this conserved oxygen sensor in regulating HBV transcription suggests that this virus has evolved to exploit the HIF signaling pathway to persist in the low oxygen environment of the liver. Our studies show the importance of considering oxygen availability when studying HBV-host interactions and provide innovative routes to better understand and target chronic HBV infection. LAY SUMMARY Viral replication in host cells is defined by the cellular microenvironment and one key factor is local oxygen tension. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) replicates in the liver, a naturally hypoxic organ. Hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs) are the major sensors of low oxygen; herein, we identify a new role for these factors in regulating HBV replication, revealing new therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A C Wing
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) Oxford Institute (COI), University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - James M Harris
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Andrea Magri
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Thomas Michler
- Institute of Virology, Technische Universität München/Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Munich partner site, Munich, Germany
| | - Xiaodong Zhuang
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Helene Borrmann
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Rosalba Minisini
- Department of Translational Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Nicholas R Frampton
- Institute of Inflammation and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Jochen M Wettengel
- Institute of Virology, Technische Universität München/Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Munich partner site, Munich, Germany
| | - Laurent Mailly
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France; INSERM, U1110, Institut de Recherche sur les Maladies Virales et Hépatiques, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Tobias Riedl
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Luis Nobre
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Michael P Weekes
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Mario Pirisi
- Department of Translational Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Mathias Heikenwalder
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas F Baumert
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France; INSERM, U1110, Institut de Recherche sur les Maladies Virales et Hépatiques, Strasbourg, France
| | - Ester M Hammond
- Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - David R Mole
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Ulrike Protzer
- Institute of Virology, Technische Universität München/Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Munich partner site, Munich, Germany
| | - Peter Balfe
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jane A McKeating
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) Oxford Institute (COI), University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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21
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Epidemiological Genetic Study for Novel World Records of Hepatitis B Virus Strains Detected by DNA Sequences in the South of Iraq/Al-Basrah Province. BIONANOSCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12668-021-00856-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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22
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Hepatitis B virus X protein recruits methyltransferases to affect cotranscriptional N6-methyladenosine modification of viral/host RNAs. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2019455118. [PMID: 33397803 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2019455118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections are one of the leading causes of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification of cellular and viral RNAs is the most prevalent internal modification that occurs cotranscriptionally. Previously, we reported the dual functional role of m6A modification of HBV transcripts in the viral life cycle. Here, we show that viral HBV X (HBx) protein is responsible for the m6A modifications of viral transcripts. HBV genomes defective in HBx failed to induce m6A modifications of HBV RNAs during infection/transfection, while ectopic expression of HBx restores m6A modifications of the viral RNAs but not the mutant HBx carrying the nuclear export signal. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, we provide evidence that HBx and m6A methyltransferase complexes are localized on the HBV minichromosome to achieve cotranscriptional m6A modification of viral RNAs. HBx interacts with METTL3 and 14 to carry out methylation activity and also modestly stimulates their nuclear import. This role of HBx in mediating m6A modification also extends to host phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) mRNA. This study provides insight into how a viral protein recruits RNA methylation machinery to m6A-modify RNAs.
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23
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Chong RHH, Khakpoor A, Tan TMC, Lim SG, Lee GH. Liver-Derived Cell Transfection Model Efficacy for HBV Genotype B Replication/Transcription Is Determined by Complex Host Transcription Factor Network. Viruses 2021; 13:v13030524. [PMID: 33810128 PMCID: PMC8005026 DOI: 10.3390/v13030524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Interaction between host transcription factors (TFs) and the viral genome is fundamental for hepatitis B virus (HBV) gene expression regulation. Additionally, the distinct interaction of the TFs’ network with the HBV genome determines the regulatory effect outcome. Hence, different HBV genotypes and their variants may display different viral replication/transcription regulation. Due to the lack of an efficient infection model suitable for all HBV genotypes, the hepatoma cell transfection model is primarily used in studies involving non-D HBV genotypes and variants. Methods: We explored the transcriptome profile of host TFs with a regulatory effect on HBV in eight liver-derived cell lines in comparison with primary human hepatocytes (PHH). We further analyzed the suitability of these models in supporting HBV genotype B replication/transcription. Results: Among studied models, HC-04, as a result of the close similarity of TFs transcriptome profile to PHH and the interaction of specific TFs including HNF4α and PPARα, showed the highest efficiency in regard to viral replication and antigen production. The absence of TFs expression in L02 transfection model resulted in its inefficiency in HBV replication/transcription. Conclusion: These observations help to better design studies on regulatory mechanisms involving non-D HBV genotypes and variants’ gene expression and the development of more efficient therapeutical approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roxanne Hui-Heng Chong
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117549, Singapore; (R.H.-H.C.); (A.K.); (S.-G.L.)
| | - Atefeh Khakpoor
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117549, Singapore; (R.H.-H.C.); (A.K.); (S.-G.L.)
| | - Theresa May-Chin Tan
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore;
| | - Seng-Gee Lim
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117549, Singapore; (R.H.-H.C.); (A.K.); (S.-G.L.)
| | - Guan-Huei Lee
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117549, Singapore; (R.H.-H.C.); (A.K.); (S.-G.L.)
- Department of Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore 119074, Singapore
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +65-90181914
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24
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Relative DNA Methylation and Demethylation Efficiencies during Postnatal Liver Development Regulate Hepatitis B Virus Biosynthesis. J Virol 2021; 95:JVI.02148-20. [PMID: 33361417 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02148-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) transcription and replication increase progressively throughout postnatal liver development with maximal viral biosynthesis occurring at around 4 weeks of age in the HBV transgenic mouse model of chronic infection. Increasing viral biosynthesis is associated with a corresponding progressive loss of DNA methylation. The loss of DNA methylation is associated with increasing levels of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) residues which correlate with increased liver-enriched pioneer transcription factor Forkhead box protein A (FoxA) RNA levels, a rapid decline in postnatal liver DNA methyltransferase (Dnmt) transcripts, and a very modest reduction in ten-eleven translocation (Tet) methylcytosine dioxygenase expression. These observations are consistent with the suggestion that the balance between active HBV DNA methylation and demethylation is regulated by FoxA recruitment of Tet in the presence of declining Dnmt activity. These changes lead to demethylation of the viral genome during hepatocyte maturation with associated increases in viral biosynthesis. Consequently, manipulation of the relative activities of these two counterbalancing processes might permit the specific silencing of HBV gene expression with the loss of viral biosynthesis and the resolution of chronic HBV infections.IMPORTANCE HBV biosynthesis begins at birth and increases during early postnatal liver development in the HBV transgenic mouse model of chronic infection. The levels of viral RNA and DNA synthesis correlate with pioneer transcription factor FoxA transcript plus Tet methylcytosine dioxygenase-generated 5hmC abundance but inversely with Dnmt transcript levels and HBV DNA methylation. Together, these findings suggest that HBV DNA methylation during neonatal liver development is actively modulated by the relative contributions of FoxA-recruited Tet-mediated DNA demethylation and Dnmt-mediated DNA methylation activities. This mode of gene regulation, mediated by the loss of DNA methylation at hepatocyte-specific viral and cellular promoters, likely contributes to hepatocyte maturation during liver development in addition to the postnatal activation of HBV transcription and replication.
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25
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D’Arienzo V, Ferguson J, Giraud G, Chapus F, Harris JM, Wing PAC, Claydon A, Begum S, Zhuang X, Balfe P, Testoni B, McKeating JA, Parish JL. The CCCTC-binding factor CTCF represses hepatitis B virus enhancer I and regulates viral transcription. Cell Microbiol 2021; 23:e13274. [PMID: 33006186 PMCID: PMC7116737 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is of global importance with over 2 billion people exposed to the virus during their lifetime and at risk of progressive liver disease, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. HBV is a member of the Hepadnaviridae family that replicates via episomal copies of a covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) genome. The chromatinization of this small viral genome, with overlapping open reading frames and regulatory elements, suggests an important role for epigenetic pathways to regulate viral transcription. The chromatin-organising transcriptional insulator protein, CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF), has been reported to regulate transcription in a diverse range of viruses. We identified two conserved CTCF binding sites in the HBV genome within enhancer I and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis demonstrated an enrichment of CTCF binding to integrated or episomal copies of the viral genome. siRNA knock-down of CTCF results in a significant increase in pre-genomic RNA levels in de novo infected HepG2 cells and those supporting episomal HBV DNA replication. Furthermore, mutation of these sites in HBV DNA minicircles abrogated CTCF binding and increased pre-genomic RNA levels, providing evidence of a direct role for CTCF in repressing HBV transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jack Ferguson
- institute of Cancer and Genomic sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Guillaume Giraud
- CRCL INSERM and Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), Lyon, France
| | - Fleur Chapus
- CRCL INSERM and Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), Lyon, France
| | - James M. Harris
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Peter A. C. Wing
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Adam Claydon
- institute of Cancer and Genomic sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Sophia Begum
- institute of Cancer and Genomic sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Xiaodong Zhuang
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Peter Balfe
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Barbara Testoni
- CRCL INSERM and Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), Lyon, France
| | | | - Joanna L. Parish
- institute of Cancer and Genomic sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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26
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Balagopal A, Thio CL. When viruses collide: hepatitis B virus reactivation after hepatitis C treatment. J Clin Invest 2021; 130:2823-2826. [PMID: 32420916 DOI: 10.1172/jci137477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in hepatitis B virus (HBV) coinfection can result in HBV reactivation. In this issue of the JCI, Cheng and colleagues explored the role of interferon signaling in the complex interaction between HBV and HCV using cell lines, mouse models, and samples from people with coinfection. Notably, HCV enhanced interferon signaling, as measured by interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression, and decreased HBV transcription and replication. Blockade of interferon signaling reversed the effects on HBV replication. Further, pharmacologic inhibition of HCV replication in vitro and in coinfected humanized mice also reduced interferon signaling and, correspondingly, increased HBV replication. Intriguingly, baseline serum levels of the ISG CXCL10 predicted HBV reactivation in a cohort of coinfected people taking DAAs. Determining how interferon signaling silences HBV transcription and whether serum CXCL10 predicts HBV reactivation in a clinical setting are questions that warrant further investigation.
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27
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Chen W, Jiang J, Gong L, Shu Z, Xiang D, Zhang X, Bi K, Diao H. Hepatitis B virus P protein initiates glycolytic bypass in HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma via a FOXO3/miRNA-30b-5p/MINPP1 axis. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2021; 40:1. [PMID: 33390177 PMCID: PMC7779247 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-020-01803-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a crucial risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, its underlying mechanism remains understudied. Methods Microarray analysis was conducted to compare the genes and miRNAs in liver tissue from HBV-positive and HBV-negative HCC patients. Biological functions of these biomarkers in HBV-related HCC were validated via in vitro and in vivo experiments. Furthermore, we investigated the effect of HBV on the proliferation and migration of tumor cells in HBV-positive HCC tissue. Bioinformatics analysis was then performed to validate the clinical value of the biomarkers in a large HCC cohort. Results We found that a gene, MINPP1 from the glycolytic bypass metabolic pathway, has an important biological function in the development of HBV-positive HCC. MINPP1 is down-regulated in HBV-positive HCC and could inhibit the proliferation and migration of the tumor cells. Meanwhile, miRNA-30b-5p was found to be a stimulator for the proliferation of tumor cell through glycolytic bypass in HBV-positive HCC. More importantly, miRNA-30b-5p could significantly downregulate MINPP1 expression. Metabolic experiments showed that the miRNA-30b-5p/MINPP1 axis is able to accelerate the conversion of glucose to lactate and 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate (2,3-BPG). In the HBV-negative HCC cells, miRNA-30b-5p/MINPP1 could not regulate the glycolytic bypass to promote the tumorigenesis. However, once HBV was introduced into these cells, miRNA-30b-5p/MINPP1 significantly enhanced the proliferation, migration of tumor cells, and promoted the glycolytic bypass. We further revealed that HBV infection promoted the expression of miRNA-30b-5p through the interaction of HBV protein P (HBp) with FOXO3. Bioinformatics analysis on a large cohort dataset showed that high expression of MINPP1 was associated with favorable survival of HBV-positive HCC patients, which could lead to a slower progress of this disease. Conclusion Our study found that the HBp/FOXO3/miRNA-30b-5p/MINPP1 axis contributes to the development of HBV-positive HCC cells through the glycolytic bypass. We also presented miRNA-30b-5p/MINPP1 as a novel biomarker for HBV-positive HCC early diagnosis and a potential pharmaceutical target for antitumor therapy. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-020-01803-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbiao Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis & Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis & Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Jingjing Jiang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis & Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis & Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Lan Gong
- Microbiome Research Centre, St George and Sutherland Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Zheyue Shu
- Department of Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Division of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310000, China.,Key Lab of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Hangzhou, 310000, China
| | - Dairong Xiang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis & Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis & Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Xujun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis & Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis & Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Kefan Bi
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis & Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis & Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Hongyan Diao
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis & Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis & Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
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28
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Balagopal A, Grudda T, Ribeiro RM, Saad YS, Hwang HS, Quinn J, Murphy M, Ward K, Sterling RK, Zhang Y, Perelson AS, Sulkowski MS, Osburn WO, Thio CL. Single hepatocytes show persistence and transcriptional inactivity of hepatitis B. JCI Insight 2020; 5:140584. [PMID: 33004689 PMCID: PMC7566712 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.140584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
There is no cure for the more than 270 million people chronically infected with HBV. Nucleos(t)ide analogs (NUCs), the mainstay of anti-HBV treatment, block HBV reverse transcription. NUCs do not eliminate the intranuclear covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), from which viral RNAs, including pregenomic RNA (pgRNA), are transcribed. A key gap in designing a cure is understanding how NUCs affect HBV replication and transcription because serum markers yield an incomplete view of intrahepatic HBV. We applied single-cell laser capture microdissection and droplet digital PCR to paired liver biopsies collected from 5 HBV/HIV-coinfected persons who took NUCs over 2–4 years. From biopsy 1 to 2, proportions of HBV-infected hepatocytes declined with adherence to NUC treatment (P < 0.05); we extrapolated that eradication of HBV will take over 10 decades with NUCs in these participants. In individual hepatocytes, pgRNA levels diminished 28- to 73-fold during NUC treatment, corresponding with decreased tissue HBV core antigen staining (P < 0.01). In 4 out of 5 participants, hepatocytes with cccDNA but undetectable pgRNA (transcriptionally inactive) were present, and these were enriched in 3 participants during NUC treatment. Further work to unravel mechanisms of cccDNA transcriptional inactivation may lead to therapies that can achieve this in all hepatocytes, resulting in a functional cure. Single-cell laser capture microdissection integrated with droplet digital PCR was used to study hepatocytes from individuals with chronic hepatitis B.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwin Balagopal
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Tanner Grudda
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ruy M Ribeiro
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA.,Faculdade de Medicina Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Yasmeen S Saad
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Hyon S Hwang
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jeffrey Quinn
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael Murphy
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Kathleen Ward
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Richard K Sterling
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Yang Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Alan S Perelson
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA
| | - Mark S Sulkowski
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - William O Osburn
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Chloe L Thio
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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29
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Ivics Z, Amberger M, Zahn T, Hildt E. [Immunotherapies for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infections-an overview with a focus on CAR T cells]. Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz 2020; 63:1357-1364. [PMID: 32995895 PMCID: PMC7647999 DOI: 10.1007/s00103-020-03223-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Derzeit leiden weltweit mehr als 250 Mio. Menschen an einer chronischen Infektion mit Hepatitis-B-Virus (CHB). Eine chronische Infektion geht mit einem erhöhten Risiko der Entwicklung einer Leberfibrose/-zirrhose und der Entwicklung eines hepatozellulären Karzinoms einher. Derzeit versterben jährlich ca. 0,8–1 Mio. Menschen an den Folgen einer chronischen Infektion. Eine Schwierigkeit bei der Therapie der CHB besteht darin, dass das virale Genom in Form eines Minichroms sehr lange Zeit persistieren kann bzw. dass virale Sequenzen in das Wirtsgenom inserieren können. Chronische Infektionen sind häufig durch funktionale Defekte der zellulären Immunantwort, insbesondere der T‑Zell-Antwort charakterisiert, was einer Eliminierung HBV-infizierter Zellen entgegensteht. Immuntherapien zur Heilung der CHB zielen daher darauf ab, die antivirale Funktion der zellulären Immunantwort wiederherzustellen. Im Rahmen dieser Übersicht sollen verschiedene aktuelle Ansätze zur Immuntherapie der CHB beschrieben werden, insbesondere gentechnisch veränderte autologe T‑Zellen als mögliches Werkzeug zur Therapie der CHB. Weiterhin werden die Modulation von Checkpointinhibitoren der Immunantwort, metabolische T‑Zelltherapien und die therapeutische Impfung zur Stimulation der T‑Zellantwort als immuntherapeutische Strategien zur Therapie der chronischen HBV-Infektion zusammenfassend dargestellt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoltan Ivics
- Abteilung Biotechnologie, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Deutschland
| | | | - Tobias Zahn
- Abteilung Virologie, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225, Langen, Deutschland
| | - Eberhard Hildt
- Abteilung Virologie, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225, Langen, Deutschland.
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30
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Lau KC, Burak KW, Coffin CS. Impact of Hepatitis B Virus Genetic Variation, Integration, and Lymphotropism in Antiviral Treatment and Oncogenesis. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1470. [PMID: 32987867 PMCID: PMC7599633 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8101470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection poses a significant global health burden. Although, effective treatment and vaccinations against HBV are available, challenges still exist, particularly in the development of curative therapies. The dynamic nature and unique features of HBV such as viral variants, integration of HBV DNA into host chromosomes, and extrahepatic reservoirs are considerations towards understanding the virus biology and developing improved anti-HBV treatments. In this review, we highlight the importance of these viral characteristics in the context of treatment and oncogenesis. Viral genotype and genetic variants can serve as important predictive factors for therapeutic response and outcomes in addition to oncogenic risk. HBV integration, particularly in coding genes, is implicated in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Furthermore, we will discuss emerging research that has identified various HBV nucleic acids and infection markers within extrahepatic sites (lymphoid cells). Intriguingly, the presence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-associated HBV variants and viral integration within the lymphoid cells may contribute towards the development of extrahepatic malignancies. Improved understanding of these HBV characteristics will enhance the development of a cure for chronic HBV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith C.K. Lau
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada;
- Calgary Liver Unit, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada;
| | - Kelly W. Burak
- Calgary Liver Unit, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada;
| | - Carla S. Coffin
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada;
- Calgary Liver Unit, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada;
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31
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Taha TY, Anirudhan V, Limothai U, Loeb DD, Petukhov PA, McLachlan A. Modulation of hepatitis B virus pregenomic RNA stability and splicing by histone deacetylase 5 enhances viral biosynthesis. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008802. [PMID: 32822428 PMCID: PMC7467325 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a worldwide health problem without curative treatments. Investigation of the regulation of HBV biosynthesis by class I and II histone deacetylases (HDACs) demonstrated that catalytically active HDAC5 upregulates HBV biosynthesis. HDAC5 expression increased both the stability and splicing of the HBV 3.5 kb RNA without altering the translational efficiency of the viral pregenomic or spliced 2.2 kb RNAs. Together, these observations point to a broader role of HDAC5 in regulating RNA splicing and transcript stability while specifically identifying a potentially novel approach toward antiviral HBV therapeutic development. This study demonstrates that HDAC5 deacetylation of host cellular factor(s) results in increased HBV biosynthesis by enhancing viral transcript stability and splicing via direct or indirect binding of host factors to viral intron sequences. This represents the first demonstration of this type of post-transcriptional regulation in the liver and is similar to observations seen for cellular transcripts in neural and cardiac cell types. These observations suggest a more general phenomenon which could represent an additional post-transcriptional code governing the regulation of RNA:protein interactions and hence RNA metabolism. Therefore, covalent modifications of RNA binding proteins may modulate post-transcriptional gene expression in an analogous manner to the known histone code that controls gene transcription. Although this analysis primarily relates to the mechanism(s) by which HDAC5 governs HBV RNA metabolism, it does have significant therapeutic implications. The inhibition of HDAC5 in combination with current nucleos(t)ide analog drugs targeting the viral reverse transcriptase/DNA polymerase might aid in the treatment and possible resolution of chronic infections by targeting both host and viral factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taha Y. Taha
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Varada Anirudhan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Umaporn Limothai
- Center of Excellence in Hepatitis and Liver Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Daniel D. Loeb
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Pavel A. Petukhov
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail: (PAP); (AM)
| | - Alan McLachlan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail: (PAP); (AM)
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32
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Lun YZ, Pan ZP, Liu SA, Sun J, Han M, Liu B, Dong W, Pan LH, Cheng J. The peptide encoded by a novel putative lncRNA HBVPTPAP inducing the apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by modulating JAK/STAT signaling pathways. Virus Res 2020; 287:198104. [PMID: 32755630 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2020.198104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
When the hepatitis B virus (HBV) enters target cells, there are complex trans-regulatory mechanisms involved in the interactions between the virus and the target cells. In the present study, a new gene screened from the hepatoblastoma cell line HepG2 using suppression subtractive hybridization, referred to as lncRNA HBVPTPAP, was used to study the trans-regulation of HBV DNA polymerase. According to the structural characteristics of the full-length sequences, it was classified as long non-coding RNA. However, a unique and complete open reading frame (ORF) was still present. Therefore, to further identify the lncRNA HBVPTPAP gene's encoding potential, this study used several online tools to analyze and verify its encoding polypeptide authenticity. On that basis, the effects of the lncRNA HBVPTPAP gene on the biological behaviors of HepG2 cells and its molecular regulatory mechanism were investigated. It was found that the lncRNA HBVPTPAP subcellular was mainly located in the cytoplasm, and possibly activated the downstream JAK/STAT signaling pathway through the interaction between the encoding polypeptide and PILRA intracellular domain. Then, the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway may have been initiated to induce apoptosis. These results provided a basis for further study of the biological functions of the lncRNA HBVPTPAP gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Zhi Lun
- Key Laboratory of Medical Microecology (Putian University), Fujian Province University, School of Pharmacy and Medical Technology, Putian University, Putian, China.
| | - Zhi-Peng Pan
- Central Laboratory, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shun-Ai Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Sun
- Key Laboratory of Medical Microecology (Putian University), Fujian Province University, School of Pharmacy and Medical Technology, Putian University, Putian, China
| | - Ming Han
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ben Liu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Microecology (Putian University), Fujian Province University, School of Pharmacy and Medical Technology, Putian University, Putian, China
| | - Wen Dong
- Key Laboratory of Medical Microecology (Putian University), Fujian Province University, School of Pharmacy and Medical Technology, Putian University, Putian, China
| | - Ling-Hong Pan
- Key Laboratory of Medical Microecology (Putian University), Fujian Province University, School of Pharmacy and Medical Technology, Putian University, Putian, China
| | - Jun Cheng
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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