Regulation of hepatitis B virus gene expression

Limited effects of bile acids and small heterodimer partner on hepatitis B virus biosynthesis in vivo

Multiple nuclear receptors, including hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α), retinoid X receptor α (RXRα) plus peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα), RXRα plus farnesoid X receptor α (FXRα), liver receptor homolog 1 (LRH1), and estrogen-related receptors (ERRs), have been shown to support efficient viral biosynthesis in nonhepatoma cells in the absence of additional liver-enriched transcription factors. Although HNF4α has been shown to be critical for the developmental expression of hepatitis B virus (HBV) biosynthesis in the liver, the relative importance of the various nuclear receptors capable of supporting viral transcription and replication in the adult in vivo has not been clearly established. To investigate the role of the nuclear receptor FXR and the corepressor small heterodimer partner (SHP) in viral biosynthesis in vivo, SHP-expressing and SHP-null HBV transgenic mice were fed a bile acid-supplemented diet. The increased FXR activity and SHP expression levels resulting from bile acid treatment did not greatly modulate HBV RNA and DNA synthesis. Therefore, FXR and SHP appear to play a limited role in modulating HBV biosynthesis, suggesting that alternative nuclear receptors are more critical determinants of viral transcription in the HBV transgenic mouse model of chronic viral infection. These observations suggest that hepatic bile acid levels or therapeutic agents targeting FXR may not greatly modulate viremia during natural infection.

Limited effects of fasting on hepatitis B virus (HBV) biosynthesis in HBV transgenic mice

Nuclear receptors have a unique role in governing hepatitis B virus (HBV) transcription and replication. Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4alpha (HNF4alpha) and retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRalpha) plus peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) have been shown to support viral biosynthesis in nonhepatoma cells in the absence of additional liver-enriched transcription factors. However, the in vivo importance of these nuclear receptors in HBV biosynthesis has been investigated only to a limited extent. Fasting has been shown to activate gluconeogenesis, in part, by activating PPARgamma coactivator 1 alpha, which in turn leads to activation of HNF4alpha- and RXRalpha/PPARalpha-mediated transcription. As HBV pregenomic RNA synthesis is primarily believed to be regulated by HNF4alpha under normal physiological conditions, it was of interest to determine the effect of fasting on the levels of HBV RNA and DNA synthesis. Fasting was shown to rather modestly increase the levels of viral proteins, transcripts, and replication intermediates in the HBV transgenic mouse model of chronic viral infection, suggesting that caloric restriction may modulate viremia to some extent during natural infection.

Molecular functions and biological roles of hepatitis B virus x protein

Chronic infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the major causes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the world. Hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) has been long suspected to be involved in hepatocarcinogenesis, although its oncogenic role remains controversial. HBx is a multifunctional regulator that modulates transcription, signal transduction, cell cycle progress, protein degradation pathways, apoptosis, and genetic stability by directly or indirectly interacting with host factors. This review focuses on the biological roles of HBx in HBV replication and cellular transformation in terms of the molecular functions of HBx. Using the transient HBV replication assay, ectopically expressed HBx could stimulate HBV transcription and replication with the X-defective replicon to the level of those with the wild one. The transcription coactivation is mainly contributing to the stimulatory role of HBx on HBV replication although the other functions may affect HBV replication. Effect of HBx on cellular transformation remains controversial and was never addressed with human primary or immortal cells. Using the human immortalized primary cells, HBx was found to retain the ability to overcome active oncogene RAS-induced senescence that requires full-length HBx. At least two functions of HBx, the coactivation function and the ability to overcome oncogene-induced senescence, may be cooperatively involved in HBV-related hepatocarcinogenesis.

Novel delivery methods for treatment of viral hepatitis: an update

Viral hepatitis represents the most common cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Currently approved therapies for chronic hepatitis B include IFN, an immune modulator, and nucleoside analogues lamivudine and adefovir. For chronic hepatitis C, a combination of pegylated IFN-alpha and ribavirin represents the standard treatment. However, currently available treatments for both these viruses are effective only in a limited number of patients, are costly, prolonged, associated with significant side effects and require a substantial commitment from the patients and healthcare providers. A number of novel antiviral treatments, together with strategies to enhance the response to current therapies, are being explored at present. For all new therapies, as well as for improving existing treatments, selective delivery of medications into liver cells would be desirable to enhance antiviral activity and avoid systemic side effects. New achievements in the field of drug and gene delivery against chronic hepatitis to the liver are reviewed here.

Activation of hepatitis B virus S promoter by a cell type-restricted IRE1-dependent pathway induced by endoplasmic reticulum stress

IRE1-alpha is an integral membrane protein of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that is a key sensor in the cellular transcriptional response to stress in the ER. Upon induction of ER stress, IRE1-alpha is activated, resulting in the synthesis of the active form of the transcription factor XBP1 via IRE1-mediated splicing of its mRNA. In this report, we have examined the role of IRE1-alpha and XBP1 in activation of the hepatitis B virus S promoter by ER stress. Cotransfection experiments revealed that overexpression of either IRE1-alpha or XBP1 activated this promoter. Conversely, cotransfected dominant-negative IRE1-alpha or small interfering RNA directed against XBP1 decreased the activation of the S promoter by ER stress, confirming an important role for the IRE1-alpha/XBP1 signaling pathway in activation of the S promoter. However, XBP1 does not bind directly to the S promoter; rather, a novel S promoter-binding complex that does not contain XBP1 is induced in cells undergoing ER stress in an XBP1-dependent manner. This complex, as well as transcriptional activation of the S promoter, is induced by ER stress in hepatocytes but not in fibroblasts, despite the presence of active XBP1 in the latter. Thus, the hepatitis B virus S promoter responds to a novel, cell type-restricted transcriptional pathway downstream of IRE1-alpha and XBP1.

Novel Autoregulatory Function of Hepatitis B Virus M Protein on Surface Gene Expression

The hepatitis B virus surface gene consists of a single open reading frame divided into three coding regions: pre-S1, pre-S2, and S. By alternate translation at each of the three initiation codons, L, M, and S proteins can be synthesized. Studies have shown that M protein is not essential for viral replication, virion morphogenesis, or in vitro infectivity. In this study, we show that native M protein can regulate surface gene expression at the transcriptional level. The regulatory effect of M protein is mediated through the CCAAT box within the S promoter. Deletion mapping analysis indicated that the transactivating effect of M protein is mediated through amino acids 1-57 of M protein (the MHBs(au) domain), although its maximal transactivation activity coincides with that of the pre-S2 domain. This conclusion is supported by the fact that disruption of the putative V8 protease site at the pre-S2/S domain junction not only rendered M protein incapable of transactivating the S promoter but also inactivated its nuclear translocation potential. Immunoprecipitation and immunoblot experiments demonstrated that pre-S2 interacts with the three subunits of the CCAAT box-binding factor/nuclear factor Y, the cognate binding protein of the CCAAT box. These results demonstrate and define a novel regulatory role of M protein, which, under natural conditions, may undergo a proteolytic process to generate an MHBs(au) species that will be translocated inside the nucleus, where it will interact with the CCAAT box-binding factor to regulate surface gene expression. Because the CCAAT box is located at a fixed position within numerous promoters, these observations might provide a plausible explanation for hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocarcinogenesis.

The transcriptional transactivation function of HBx protein is important for its augmentation role in hepatitis B virus replication

The role and functional domain of hepatitis B virus (HBV) X protein (HBx) in regulating HBV transcription and replication were investigated with a transient transfection system in the human hepatoma cell line HepG2 using wild-type or HBx-minus HBV genome constructs and a series of deletion or mutation HBx expression plasmids. We show here that HBx has augmentation effects on HBV transcription and replication as a HBV mutant genome with defective X gene led to decreased levels of 3.5-kb HBV RNA and HBV replication intermediates and that these decreases can be restored by either transient ectopic expression of HBx or a stable HBx expression cell line. The C-terminal two-thirds (amino acids [aa] 51 to 154), which contain the transactivation domain, is required for this function of HBx; the N-terminal one-third (aa 1 to 50) is not required. Using the alanine scanning mutagenesis strategy, we demonstrated that the regions between aa 52 to 65 and 88 to 154 are important for the augmentation function of HBx in HBV replication. By the luciferase reporter gene analysis, we found that the transactivation and coactivation activities of HBx coincide well with its augmentation function in HBV transcription and replication. These results suggest that HBx has an important role in stimulating HBV transcription and replication and that the transcriptional transactivation function of HBx may be critical for its augmentation effect on HBV replication.

Assays for glucosidase inhibitors with potential antiviral activities: secreted alkaline phosphatase as a surrogate marker

As secretion of the middle (MHBs) glycoprotein of hepatitis B virus is highly dependent upon the action of the host oligosaccharide processing enzymes glucosidase I and II, drugs that inhibit this enzyme have been proposed as potential antiviral agents. To facilitate the identification of new, more effective inhibitors of MHBs secretion, an assay has been developed based on the expression of this glycoprotein alone by transfection of Huh7 hepatoma cells. The data clearly demonstrate that both mono- and di-glycosylated forms of MHBs are produced in this system and both forms are equally dependent upon glucosidase processing for secretion. In addition, inclusion of a co-transfected reporter construct that encodes secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) to permit normalization of transfection revealed that the SEAP gene product was itself sensitive to glucosidase inhibition. This sensitivity also was observed in HepG2 human hepatoma cells. Thus, measuring SEAP secretion may be another method for evaluating glucosidase inhibition. In addition, this finding has important implications for the use of a SEAP reporter in screens of potential antiviral agents.

Regulation of hepatitis B virus core promoter by transcription factors HNF1 and HNF4 and the viral X protein

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) core promoter contains a binding site for nuclear receptors. A natural double mutation in this binding site, which changes nucleotide (nt) 1765 from A to T and nt 1767 from G to A, selectively abolishes the binding of several nuclear receptors without affecting that of HNF4. This double mutation also creates a binding site for the transcription factor HNF1 and changes two amino acids in the overlapping X protein sequence. In this study, we have examined the roles of HNF1, HNF4, and the X protein in the regulation of the core promoter activities in Huh7 hepatoma cells. Our results indicate that HNF4 could stimulate the expression of the precore RNA and the core RNA from the core promoter of both the wild-type (WT) HBV and the double mutant, although its effect on the former was more prominent. In contrast, HNF1, which did not affect the WT core promoter, suppressed the precore RNA expression of the double mutant. Further analysis using HBV genomic constructs, with and without the ability to express the X protein, indicates that the X protein did not affect the HNF4 activity on the core promoter and affected the HNF1 activity on the core promoter of only the double mutant. Thus, our results indicate that the phenotypic differences of HBV WT and double-mutant core promoters are at least partially due to the differential activities of HNF1, HNF4, and the X protein on these two promoters.

Hepatic expression of the human insulin gene reduces glucose levels in vivo in diabetic mice model

OBJECTIVES

The objective of these studies was to evaluate human insulin gene expression following intraliver plasmid injection in diabetic mice as a potential approach to gene therapy for insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

The fragment containing human proinsulin gene lacking its own promoter, was cloned into plasmids containing promoter and enhancer of cytomegalovirus or human hepatitis B virus. The resulting gene constructs were first tested in vitro using 3T3 fibroblast cell line and subsequently in vivo applying streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice.

RESULTS

We found significant reduction in glucose levels in both experimental systems, giving evidence that prolonged constitutive systemic secretion of bioactive human (pro)insulin has been attained in non-neuroendocrine cell line in vitro and in mice following intra-liver plasmid injection.

CONCLUSION

Our data demonstrate the reduction of glucose levels in vitro in 3T3 fibroblast cells and in vivo in diabetic mice after treatment with plasmids expressing proinsulin, giving evidence that those constructs may have certain usage also in human gene therapy of diabetes mellitus type 1.

Hepatitis B virus core protein stimulates the proteasome-mediated degradation of viral X protein

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) X protein (HBx) plays an essential role in viral replication and in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. HBx has the ability to transactivate the expression of all HBV proteins, including the viral core protein HBc. Consistent with its regulatory role, HBx is relatively unstable and is present at low levels in the cell. We report here that the level of HBx was significantly reduced by the coexpression of HBc in cultured human hepatoma cells, whereas the level of HBx mRNA was unaffected. The repression of HBx by HBc was relieved by treating cells with the proteasome inhibitor MG132, indicating that HBc acts by stimulating the proteasome-mediated degradation of HBx. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of HBc was specific to HBx and did not affect other proteins, including p53, a known target of the proteasome. Although no direct physical interaction between HBc and HBx could be demonstrated, mutational analysis indicated that the C-terminal half of HBc is responsible for its inhibitory effect. These results suggest that HBc functions as a novel regulator of the HBV life cycle and of hepatocellular carcinogenesis through control of the HBx level via an inhibitory feedback type of mechanism.

Regulatory mechanisms of viral hepatitis B and C

Of all the hepatitis viruses, only the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) cause chronic hepatitis, which can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In this review, we discuss how these two biologically diverse viruses use common pathways to induce oxidative stress and activation of key transcription factors, known to be involved in inflammatory processes in cells. Activation of NF-kB and STAT-3 most likely contribute to the progression of viral infections to chronic hepatitis and liver oncogenesis associated with HBV and HCV infections. In this review, we focus on the mechanisms of action of HBx and HCV NS5A proteins in inducing intracellular events associated with the viral infections.

Hepatocyte nuclear factor 3beta inhibits hepatitis B virus replication in vivo

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) transgenic mice expressing rat hepatocyte nuclear factor 3beta (HNF3beta) were generated by breeding HBV transgenic mice with transgenic mice that constitutively overexpress the rat HNF3beta polypeptide in the liver. HBV 3.5-, 2.4- and 2.1-kb transcripts were reduced 2- to 4-fold in these mice relative to the HBV transgenic mouse controls. In contrast, the abundance of viral replication intermediates was profoundly reduced in HBV transgenic mice by overexpression of HNF3beta. This results, in part, from the preferential reduction in the level of the pregenomic 3.5-kb RNA relative to the precore 3.5-kb RNA. Therefore, it is apparent that increased expression of HNF3beta modestly reduces viral transcription and dramatically inhibits replication in vivo in the HBV transgenic mouse. This suggests that altering the activity of this transcription factor in vivo in chronic HBV carriers might be therapeutically beneficial.

Cellular vacuolization and apoptosis induced by hepatitis B virus large surface protein

Fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis (FCH) is a rapidly progressive form of viral hepatitis B that occurs in severely immunosuppressed patients. Pathologically, the liver in FCH is characterized by widespread hepatocyte vacuolization and apoptosis, which, in contrast to more common forms of hepatitis B, is only rarely associated with significant inflammation. Therefore, it has been proposed that, in FCH, hepatocytes may be injured by a direct cytopathic effect of the virus rather than by the host immune response. In support of this hypothesis, we present evidence that cultured hepatoma cells that had been transfected with a plasmid selectively expressing the viral large surface protein form numerous large vacuoles and undergo apoptosis. The similarity of the cytopathology in FCH in vivo and in these transfected cells in vitro strongly implicates the large surface protein as the direct cause of this acute liver disease. This conclusion is further supported by the published demonstration that hepatocytes tend to accumulate large surface protein in FCH, which may reflect its overexpression by the virus. In conclusion, our data implicate the large surface protein as a major cause of hepatocyte injury in fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis.

Regulation of hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 activity by wild-type and mutant hepatitis B virus X proteins

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) core promoter regulates the transcription of two related RNA products named precore RNA and core RNA. Previous studies indicate that a double-nucleotide mutation that occurs frequently during chronic HBV infection converts a nuclear receptor binding site in the core promoter to the binding site of the transcription factor hepatocyte nuclear factor-1 (HNF-1) and specifically suppresses the transcription of the precore RNA. This mutation also changes two codons in the overlapping X protein coding sequence. In this report, we demonstrate that the X protein and its mutant X(mt) can physically bind to HNF-1 both in vitro and in vivo. Further analyses indicate that both X and X(mt) can enhance the gene transactivation and the DNA binding activities of HNF-1. This finding demonstrates for the first time that the X protein can stimulate the DNA binding activity of a homeodomain transcription factor. Interestingly, while both X and X(mt) can stimulate the HNF-1 activities, they differ in their effects: a smaller amount of X(mt) is needed to generate greater transactivation and DNA binding activities of HNF-1. This functional difference between X and X(mt) may have important implications in HBV pathogenesis and is apparently why they have different effects on the core promoter bearing the HNF-1 binding site.

Identification and analysis of a new hepadnavirus in white storks

We identified, cloned, and functionally characterized a new avian hepadnavirus infecting storks (STHBV). STHBV has the largest DNA genome of all avian hepadnaviruses and, based on sequence and phylogenetic analysis, is most closely related to, but distinct from, heron hepatitis B virus (HHBV). Unique for STHBV among the other avian hepadnaviruses is a potential HNF1 binding site in the preS promoter. In common only with HHBV, STHBV has a myristylation signal on the S and not the preS protein, two C terminally located glycosylation sites on the precore/core proteins and lacks the phosphorylation site essential for the transcriptional transactivation activity of duck-HBV preS protein. The cloned STHBV genomes were competent in gene expression, replication, and viral particle secretion. STHBV infected primary duck hepatocytes very inefficiently suggesting a restricted host range, similar to other hepadnaviruses. This discovery of stork infections unravels novel evolutionary aspects of hepadnaviruses and provides new opportunities for hepadnavirus research.

Differential regulation of hepatitis B virus gene expression by the Sp1 transcription factor

The expression of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genes is regulated by a number of transcription factors. One such factor, Sp1, has two binding sites in the core promoter and one in its upstream regulatory element, which is also known as the ENII enhancer. In this study, we have analyzed the effects of these three Sp1 binding sites on the expression of HBV genes. Our results indicate that both Sp1 binding sites in the core promoter are important for the transcription of the core RNA and the precore RNA. Moreover, while the downstream Sp1 site (the Sp1-1 site) in the core promoter did not affect the transcription of the S gene and the X gene, the upstream Sp1 site (the Sp1-2 site) in the core promoter was found to negatively regulate the transcription of the S gene and the X gene, as removal of the latter led to enhancement of transcription of these two genes. The Sp1 binding site in the ENII enhancer (the Sp1-3 site) positively regulates the expression of all of the HBV genes, as its removal by mutation suppressed the expression of all of the HBV genes. However, the suppressive effect of the Sp1-3 site mutation on the expression of the S gene and the X gene was abolished if the two Sp1 sites in the core promoter were also mutated. These results indicate that Sp1 can serve both as a positive regulator and as a negative regulator for the expression of HBV genes. This dual activity may be important for the differential regulation of HBV gene expression.

Nuclear covalently closed circular viral genomic DNA in the liver of hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 alpha-null hepatitis B virus transgenic mice

The role of hepatocyte nuclear factor 1alpha (HNF1 alpha) in the regulation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) transcription and replication in vivo was investigated using a HNF1 alpha-null HBV transgenic mouse model. HBV transcription was not measurably affected by the absence of the HNF1 alpha transcription factor. However, intracellular viral replication intermediates were increased two- to fourfold in mice lacking functional HNF1 alpha protein. The increase in encapsidated cytoplasmic replication intermediates in HNF1 alpha-null HBV transgenic mice was associated with the appearance of nonencapsidated nuclear covalently closed circular (CCC) viral genomic DNA. Viral CCC DNA was not readily detected in HNF1 alpha-expressing HBV transgenic mice. This indicates the synthesis of nuclear HBV CCC DNA, the proposed viral transcriptional template found in natural infection, is regulated either by subtle alterations in the levels of viral transcripts or by changes in the physiological state of the hepatocyte in this in vivo model of HBV replication.

Hepatitis B surface antigen variants in vaccinees, blood donors and an interferon-treated patient

Variants of hepatitis B virus (HBV), with amino acid substitutions in the major antigenic "a" determinant of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), have been described mainly in vaccinated children. In the present study in addition to vaccinated children, we have investigated Chinese blood donors positive for anti-HBc alone, and a patient with continuing liver disease after interferon-induced seroconversion to anti-HBs. Variants were detected in two of four children with break-through infections. One child had a double mutation (P142S and G145R) and the other a G145A substitution. Three of seven anti-HBc positive Chinese blood donors had a T131I substitution, whilst the interferon-treated patient had a treble amino acid substitution (P142S, G145R and N146D). The present results indicate that HBsAg variants may exist in individuals other than vaccinated children.

Transcriptional regulation of hepatitis B virus by nuclear hormone receptors is a critical determinant of viral tropism

Hepatotropism is a prominent feature of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Cell lines of nonhepatic origin do not independently support HBV replication. Here, we show that the nuclear hormone receptors, hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 and retinoid X receptor alpha plus peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha, support HBV replication in nonhepatic cells by controlling pregenomic RNA synthesis, indicating these liver-enriched transcription factors control a unique molecular switch restricting viral tropism. In contrast, hepatocyte nuclear factor 3 antagonizes nuclear hormone receptor-mediated viral replication, demonstrating distinct regulatory roles for these liver-enriched transcription factors.

The enhancer I core region contributes to the replication level of hepatitis B virus in vivo and in vitro

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection can lead to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Long-term interaction of the immune system with the virus results in the selection of escape mutants and viral persistence. In this work we characterize mutations in the enhancer I region isolated prior to liver transplantation from the HBV genomes of 10 patients with chronic HBV infection. The HBV-genomes were sequenced, and the enhancer I region was cloned into luciferase reporter constructs to determine the transcriptional activity. Functional studies were performed by transfecting HBV replication-competent plasmids into hepatoma cells. Analyses of the replication fitness of the mutant strains were conducted by biochemical analysis. In all HBV genomes the enhancer I region was mutated. Most of these mutations resulted in decreased transcriptional activity. The strongest effects were detectable in strains with mutations in the hepatocyte nuclear factor 3 and 4 (HNF3 and HNF4) binding sites of the enhancer I core domain. Replication-competent HBV constructs containing these mutations demonstrated up to 10-fold-reduced levels of virus replication. Before liver transplantation, when the mutant strains were detected in the patients' sera, low HBV DNA levels were found. After transplantation and reinfection with a wild-type virus, the levels of replication were up to 240-fold higher. Our results show that mutations in the enhancer I region of HBV have a major impact on HBV replication. These mutations may also determine the switch from high to low levels of viral replication which is frequently observed during chronic HBV infection.

Induction of hepatitis B virus gene expression at low temperature

There is a limited understanding of the cellular regulation of HBV gene expression in differentiated hepatocytes. We previously demonstrated that HBV replication inversely correlates with cell proliferation and DNA synthesis. In this report, temperature-induced modulation of cell growth was used as a novel approach to study HBV gene expression in the absence of indirect effects from drugs or serum deprivation. We observed markedly elevated levels of hepatic HBV mRNA expression from integrated and episomal HBV DNA at 32 degrees C. Additionally, hepatoblastoma cells cultured at 32 degrees C expressed increased levels of albumin mRNA and decreased levels of c-myc mRNA, which demonstrates that liver-derived cells cultured at low temperature exhibit characteristics of functional and differentiated hepatocytes. In transiently transfected HepG2 cells cultured at 32 degrees C, the HBV enhancer 1 activated the X promoter and core/pregenomic promoter by 7.3- and 28-fold, respectively. In the absence of enhancer 1, core/pregenomic promoter activity was 2.4-fold higher than the X promoter in HepG2 cells at 32 degrees C. In contrast, enhancer 1 exclusively activated the X promoter in transfected non-liver cells at 32 degrees C. Therefore, the core/pregenomic promoter exhibits strict liver-specificity at low temperature. This work supports the hypothesis that HBV replication and gene expression are optimal in non-activated hepatocytes, and provides a novel system for delineating molecular aspects of the HBV replication process.

In vivo regulation of hepatitis B virus replication by peroxisome proliferators

The role of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) in regulating hepatitis B virus (HBV) transcription and replication in vivo was investigated in an HBV transgenic mouse model. Treatment of HBV transgenic mice with the peroxisome proliferators Wy-14,643 and clofibric acid resulted in a less than twofold increase in HBV transcription rates and steady-state levels of HBV RNAs in the livers of these mice. In male mice, this increase in transcription was associated with a 2- to 3-fold increase in replication intermediates, whereas in female mice it was associated with a 7- to 14-fold increase in replication intermediates. The observed increases in transcription and replication were dependent on PPARalpha. HBV transgenic mice lacking this nuclear hormone receptor showed similar levels of HBV transcripts and replication intermediates as untreated HBV transgenic mice expressing PPARalpha but failed to demonstrate alterations in either RNA or DNA synthesis in response to peroxisome proliferators. Therefore, it appears that very modest alterations in transcription can, under certain circumstances, result in relatively large increases in HBV replication in HBV transgenic mice.

T1762/A1764 variants of the basal core promoter of hepatitis B virus; serological and clinical correlations in Chinese patients

BACKGROUND

A double variant in the basal core promoter, converting nucleotide 1762 from A to T (T1762) and nucleotide 1764 from G to A (A[764), has been described in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection. Its prevalence and significance in Chinese chronic HBV carriers are unknown.

METHODS

We studied 177 Chinese patients with chronic HBV infection (chronic hepatitis/asymptomatic: 89/88; hepatitis B e antigen positive/negative: 84/93). The double variant was detected by mismatched polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The reliability of this method was verified by sequencing in 41 serum samples with 100% matching.

RESULTS

The double variant T1762/ A1764 was found in 52 of 89 patients with chronic hepatitis, but in only 6 of 59 asymptomatic carriers (p<0.001). The prevalence was significantly lower in hepatitis B e antigen positive patients (23/84) than in hepatitis B e antigen negative patients (35/64) (p<0.005). Precore variant, A1896 was detected in 40 individuals; 31 of them suffered from chronic hepatitis and 9 were asymptomatic (p<0.001). A combination of both variants T1762/A1764 and A1896 was seen in 3 of 59 asymptomatic and 22 of 89 patients with chronic hepatitis (p<0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

Mismatched polymerase chain reaction with restriction fragment length polymorphism provides a reliable, easy and fast method for detection of the presence of the T1762/A1764 variant. In Chinese chronic hepatitis B carriers, T1762/A1764 variant was associated with both active liver disease and hepatitis B e antigen negativity.

The pre-S region determines the intracellular localization and appearance of hepatitis B virus

The functional role of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) pre-S region for assembly and appearance of the virus is not completely understood. In this study, 3 natural-occurring mutants were investigated. Three mutants of the pre-S region-a point mutation in the CCAAT box (MUT1), a 6-bp deletion (MUT2) 3' of the CCAAT box, and a 153-bp deletion (MUT3) in the preS2 domain-were cloned alone or in combinations in replication-competent HBV plasmids and transfected in hepatoma cells. The impact on HBV assembly and appearance was studied by Northern Blot, primer extension analysis, immunofluorescence studies, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and electron microscopy. An inversed ratio of pre-S/S mRNA transcripts compared with wild-type (wt) HBV was found when either MUT1 or -2 were included into the plasmid. Intracellular localization with both mutants showed retention of large S-protein in the endoplasmic reticulum and nuclear accumulation of core protein. The extracellular amount of S-protein was reduced with MUT1 and -2 or combinations in which 1 of the mutants was included. However, the extracellular appearance of viral products was comparable with wtHBV. In contrast, MUT3 showed major changes. Virion-like particles had a fried-egg, and filaments a screw-like appearance. The S-promoter mutations MUT1 and MUT2 correlated with viral retention. MUT3 leads to malformed viral particles. Therefore, different regions in the pre-S domain are essential to determine the intracellular localization and extracellular appearance of HBV, and might contribute to the prognosis of chronic HBV infection.

Roles of the three major phosphorylation sites of hepatitis B virus core protein in viral replication

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) core protein is a phosphoprotein. Its three major phosphorylation sites have been identified at the serine residues located at amino acids 157, 164, and 172. In order to investigate the role of core protein phosphorylation in HBV replication, these three serine residues were mutated to alanine to mimic nonphosphorylated serine or to glutamic acid to mimic phosphoserine. The nonphosphorylated core protein analog did not package the HBV pregenomic RNA, and the phosphorylated analog packaged the pregenomic RNA but failed to support viral DNA replication. These results indicate that the core protein phosphorylation may be important for pregenomic RNA packaging and that its dephosphorylation may be important for viral DNA replication. The individual roles of these three major phosphorylation sites in HBV replication were further investigated by being mutated to alanine in different combinations. The results showed that the serine residue at amino acid 157 was not essential for pregenomic RNA packaging, whereas the serine residues at amino acids 164 and 172 were more important. Furthermore, the serine residue at amino acid 157 was not essential for viral DNA replication or viral maturation.

Biochemical and functional properties of a palindromic sequence motif within the hepatitis B virus enhancer 1

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) enhancer 1 is a transcriptional element that contributes to the liver-specific regulation of HBV gene expression. We previously identified a novel protein binding site within the enhancer that contains an 8-bp palindromic sequence motif. This motif partially overlaps the binding sites for nuclear factor 1 and hepatocyte nuclear factor 3beta (HNF3beta). Moreover, we demonstrated that this novel site is recognized by a protein or proteins, tentatively designated as palindrome-binding factor (PBF), that cooperatively interact with HNF3beta. In the present work, we have further examined the biochemical and functional attributes of PBF. Protein-DNA interaction studies indicate that three thymidine residues located at the 3'-end of the palindromic sequence motif are important for maximal PBF-binding activity. When protein-DNA complexes were photocrosslinked by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, a prominent polypeptide with an apparent molecular mass of 50 kDa was found to associate with the PBF-binding site. Furthermore, transient transfection studies support the hypothesis that PBF contributes to enhancer 1 activity by a combinatorial mechanism that involves at least one other cis-acting sequence motif, the HNF3beta-binding site.

Two control elements in the hepatitis B virus S-promoter are important for full promoter activity mediated by CCAAT-binding factor

Natural occurring mutations in the preS-region are frequently found during chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Here we used the mutated preS-region from a patient to study the transcriptional regulation of the S-promoter. The mutations were a CCAAT-box (MUT1) point mutation, a 6-base pair (bp) deletion (MUT2) 3' of the CCAAT-box, and a 153 bp deletion (MUT3) in the preS2 genome. Transfection experiments revealed for MUT1 and 2 30% to 40% and MUT3 75% of the wildtype (wt) S-promoter activity. In electro-mobility shift assays experiments, binding of a nuclear protein was impaired with MUT1. Ultraviolet cross-linking, South-Western, and gel shift experiments revealed a 30- to 40-kd protein interacting with the wt CCAAT-motif. Computer-assisted analysis and supershift experiments showed that CCAAT-binding factor (CBF) is the CCAAT-box binding protein. Cotransfection experiments with expression vectors for dominant-negative CBF or wt CBF showed that the wt S-promoter but not MUT1 could be regulated through CBF. Additionally, the CBF constructs did not modulate the basal activity of MUT2 but changes the activity of MUT3 like wt HBV. Artificial mutations were introduced in the MUT2 reporter constructs. Transfection experiments revealed that wt promoter activity could not be reconstituted. Therefore these experiments indicated the sterical position of CBF being essential for full S-promoter activity. Our study shows that the CCAAT-box and a second region is essential to mediate full S-promoter activity dependent on CBF. As these mutations also lead to retention of S-protein in the endoplasmic reticulum our results indicate that mutational changes in the preS-region might be linked to the progression of HBV-related liver disease.

Mechanism of suppression of hepatitis B virus precore RNA transcription by a frequent double mutation

A double mutation which converts nucleotide 1765 from A to T and nucleotide 1767 from G to A is frequently found in the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome isolated from HBV patients with chronic hepatitis symptoms. This double mutation is located in the core promoter that controls the transcription of the precore RNA and the core RNA. In addition, this double mutation also resides in the X protein coding sequence, converting codon 130 from Lys to Met and codon 131 from Val to Ile. Previous studies indicate that this double mutation removes a nuclear receptor binding site in the core promoter, suppresses specifically precore RNA transcription, and enhances viral replication. In this study, we further investigated how this double mutation suppresses precore RNA transcription. We found that this double mutation not only removed the nuclear receptor binding site but also created an HNF1 transcription factor binding site. Further transfection studies using Huh7 hepatoma cells indicate that the removal of the nuclear receptor binding site has no effect on the transcription of HBV RNAs, the two-codon change in the X protein sequence suppresses the transcription of both precore and core RNAs, and the creation of the HNF1 binding site restores the core RNA level. Hence, the specific suppression of precore RNA transcription by this frequent double-nucleotide mutation is the combined result of multiple factors.

Identification of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase as a cellular protein that binds to the hepatitis B virus posttranscriptional regulatory element

The hepatitis B virus posttranscriptional regulatory element (PRE) is an RNA cis-element that is required for high-level expression of viral surface gene transcripts and appears to function by activating mRNA export to the cytoplasm. We have previously shown that multiple fragments of the PRE bind to two cellular proteins of approximately 35 and 55 kDa in molecular mass and that this binding correlates with function. By a combination of column chromatographic techniques and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, we have been able to purify the smaller protein. Amino-terminal sequencing of the purified protein shows identity to glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), an RNA-binding glycolytic enzyme that has been implicated in the export of tRNA. Immunoprecipitation analysis reveals that GAPDH is indeed present in the protein-RNA complex resulting from incubation of crude nuclear extracts with a functional region of the PRE. Furthermore, binding of the cellular 35 kDa protein to the PRE fragment is blocked by NAPDH, as would be expected for RNA binding by GAPDH. Finally, purified commercial GAPDH also binds specifically to this RNA fragment. Therefore, GAPDH is one of the cellular proteins that binds to the PRE, and may be involved in the posttranscriptional regulation of hepatitis B virus gene expression.

Activation of hepatitis B virus S promoter by the viral large surface protein via induction of stress in the endoplasmic reticulum

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) codes for three forms of surface protein. The minor, large form is translated from transcripts specified by the preS1 promoter, while the middle and small forms are translated from transcripts specified by the downstream S promoter. When the large surface protein is overexpressed, the secretion of both subviral and virion particles is blocked within the secretory pathway. We show here that overexpression of the large surface protein leads to up to a 10-fold activation of the S promoter but not of an unrelated promoter. Neither the middle nor the small surface protein, nor a secretable form of the large surface protein, activates the S promoter, but agents that induce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress have an effect similar to that of the large surface protein. The large surface protein also activates the S promoter in the context of the entire viral genome. Therefore, it appears that HBV has evolved a feedback mechanism, such that ER stress induced by accumulation of the large surface protein increases the synthesis of the middle and small surface proteins, which in combination with the large surface protein can form mixed, secretable particles. In addition, like other agents that induce ER stress, the large surface protein can activate the cellular grp78 and grp94 promoters, raising the possibility that it may alter the physiology of the host cell.

The mouse histone H2a gene contains a small element that facilitates cytoplasmic accumulation of intronless gene transcripts and of unspliced HIV-1-related mRNAs

Histone mRNAs are naturally intronless and accumulate efficiently in the cytoplasm. To learn whether there are cis-acting sequences within histone genes that allow efficient cytoplasmic accumulation of RNAs, we made recombinant constructs in which sequences from the mouse H2a gene were cloned into a human beta-globin cDNA. By using transient transfection and RNase protection analysis, we demonstrate here that a 100-bp sequence within the H2a coding region permits efficient cytoplasmic accumulation of the globin cDNA transcripts. We also show that this sequence appears to suppress splicing and can functionally replace Rev and the Rev-responsive element in the cytoplasmic accumulation of unspliced HIV-1-related mRNAs. Like the Rev-responsive element, this sequence acts in an orientation-dependent manner. We thus propose that the sequence identified here may be a member of the cis-acting elements that facilitate the cytoplasmic accumulation of naturally intronless gene transcripts.

Purification and properties of rat liver nuclear proteins that interact with the hepatitis B virus enhancer 1

The hepatitis B virus enhancer 1 element plays a fundamental role in the liver-specific regulation of hepatitis B virus gene expression. A central region of enhancer 1, the enhancer core domain, contains at least four cis-acting sequence motifs that are essential for enhancer 1 activity. In this study, we have investigated an essential motif within the core domain previously defined as footprint V (FPV). Transient transfection analyses demonstrate that FPV is capable of independently functioning in a liver-specific manner to activate transcription. Therefore, to further examine the liver-specific properties of FPV-mediated enhancer 1 activity, we have carried out the biochemical purification and characterization of FPV binding activity from rat liver nuclei. This study has conclusively identified hepatocyte nuclear factor 3beta (HNF-3beta), a liver-enriched member of the HNF-3/forkhead gene family, as the predominant purified protein that interacts with the FPV motif. Moreover, a cellular protein(s) that copurified with HNF-3beta specifically interacts with a novel sequence motif that partially overlaps FPV. Since this novel motif contains a palindromic sequence, we have tentatively referred to the protein(s) that binds to this site as palindrome-binding factor (PBF). Additional evidence indicates that HNF-3beta and PBF cooperatively interact with enhancer 1. Therefore, this study supports the hypothesis that FPV-mediated enhancer activity involves a cooperative interplay between HNF-3beta and at least one other enhancer 1-binding protein, PBF.

Evidence for the Role of Cyclic AMP-Responsive Elements in Human Virus Replication and Disease

We review the involvement of the cyclic AMP responsive DNA element (CRE) and the ATF/CREB (activating transcription factor/CRE binding protein) family of transcription factors in the regulation and pathology of clinically important viruses that infect humans, including the herpesviridae, adenoviridae, parvoviridae, hepadnaviridae, and retroviridae families. CRE sequences found in specific regulatory elements of human viruses are listed, and the functional evidence for CRE activity, in the form of DNA binding assays, mutational studies, transfection and transcriptional activation experiments, or in vitro transcription assays, is summarized. Manipulation of cellular processes is required for virus replication in human cells following infection. A primary target of many viruses is the cellular transcription machinery, and several human viruses contain transcriptional activator and repressor proteins that affect cellular transcription. Through their effect on cellular transcription, viral genes alter the pattern of cellular gene expression, and thereby affect the differentiation state and cell cycle progression of the infected cell. We summarize evidence demonstrating that the CRE and its binding proteins are involved in the activity of the viruses, implicating their function in the pathogenesis of human diseases. The targeting of specific transcription factor pathways as a potential therapeutic approach is discussed. Copyright 1996 S. Karger AG, Basel

Roles of the 35S promoter and multiple overlapping domains in the pathogenicity of the pararetrovirus cauliflower mosaic virus

Elements associated with the 35S promoter involved in generating the pregenomic RNA (35S RNA) of the pararetrovirus cauliflower mosaic virus have been extensively studied in heterologous systems, but little is known about their role in viral pathogenicity. To investigate these elements, premature termination codons were progressively inserted into the 3' end of the adjacent gene VI to dissect it from colinear 35S enhancer sequences. The ability to cause a systemic infection in plants was retained with loss of up to 40 amino acids from the gene VI polypeptide, but truncations into a putative zinc finger proved lethal. In the 35S promoter, removal of the TATA box also abolished infectivity. However, upstream deletions encompassing the 35S enhancer showed that the sequence between -207 and -56 from the cap site comprised nonessential elements, although complete removal of this fragment caused loss of infectivity even when domain spacing was restored by linker insertion. Two separate enhancer domains (-207 to - 150 and -95 to -56) were identified, of which either one or the other, but not both, was required for infectivity. Some mutations affected the cellular levels of viral RNAs in unexpected ways, as with removal of the as-1 enhancer element causing an increase in 35S RNA. Others altered the relative abundance of nuclear and cytoplasmic viral DNAs. Mutations in promoter domains thought to be involved in regulating tissue-specific expression did not significantly affect virus accumulation in leaves versus roots, whereas gene VI mutants showed reduced root accumulation. We conclude that elements associated with the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter contain extensive nonessential regions that can behave differently in their proper context than as isolated elements.

Cellular factors controlling the activity of woodchuck hepatitis virus enhancer II

Woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) efficiently induces hepatocellular carcinoma in chronically infected hosts. A key step in hepatocarcinogenesis by WHV is insertional activation of the cellular N-myc gene by integrated viral DNA. WHV enhancer II (En II) is the major cis-acting element involved in this activation. Here we characterize this viral enhancer element and define the cellular factors involved in its activity. WHV En II activity is strongly liver specific and maps to an 88-nucleotide DNA segment (nucleotides 1772 to 1859) located 5' to the pregenomic RNA start site. Genetic analyses and electrophoretic mobility shift assays indicate that the enhancer contains three subregions important to its activity. The core elements of the enhancer are recognition sites for the liver-enriched factors HNF1 and HNF4; together, these signals account for the bulk of En II activity as well as its strong liver specificity. Multimerization of either recognition site produced strong activity even in the absence of other En II sequences. 5' to these elements is a binding site for the ubiquitous Oct-1 transcription factor, which further augments enhancer activity ca. twofold.

Hepadnaviral X Protein:Review of Recent Progress

In addition to coding for virion structural proteins and the reverse transcriptase, all mammalian hepadnaviruses also contain an open-reading frame called X, because its function could not be fathomed from the deduced amino acid sequence. While it is now known that the woodchuck virus (and presumably the other hepadnaviruses, as well) cannot replicate in the animal host if the X gene is mutated, the exact function of the X protein in the viral life cycle is still unknown. In transient transfection studies, X protein has been shown to trans-activate a wide variety of promoters. The mechanism of this activation is also unclear, although there is accumulating evidence in favor of both a cytoplasmic effect involving signal transduction pathways, and a nuclear effect directly on the transcriptional machinery. It appears that the X protein is at least as complex as many of the other, better studied viral trans-activators, and may well yield new insights into mammalian cell functions in the future. Copyright 1996 S. Karger AG, Basel

Intracellular retention of surface protein by a hepatitis B virus mutant that releases virion particles

In the course of chronic infection, hepatitis B virus mutants can sometimes be found circulating in the serum as the predominant species. One class of such mutants contains in-frame deletions in the S promoter region. By transfecting hepatoma cells with wild-type or mutant viral genomic DNA, we have shown that one such mutant gives rise to extremely small amounts of S transcripts, as expected, and therefore expresses very little of the middle and small surface (viral envelope) proteins that are translated from these transcripts. In addition, this mutant gives rise to greater-than-wild-type levels of the preS1 transcripts, which are translated into the large surface protein. Because the large surface protein, unlike the other forms of surface protein, is incompetent for secretion, cells transfected with the mutant viral DNA contain large amounts of 20-nm particles within dilated perinuclear vesicles. Therefore, this and similar S promoter mutants may be one contributing factor in the pathogenesis of ground-glass cells, which are hepatocytes containing nonsecretable viral surface proteins within dilated vesicles and are commonly found during chronic hepatitis B. Interestingly, DNA-containing virion particles are secreted into the medium by cells transfected with the mutant DNA, in amounts that are slightly larger than those secreted from wild-type-transfected cells, apparently because the amount of large surface protein is insufficient to block virion secretion. This finding may explain how such mutants can become the predominant circulating species in the serum, especially if there are selection pressures against the wild-type virus.

Retroelements: propagation and adaptation

Retroelements are genetic entities that exist in both DNA and RNA forms generated by cyclic alternation of transcription and reverse transcription. They have in common a genetic core (the gag-pol core), encoding conserved functions of a structural protein and a replicase. These are supplemented with a variety of cis-acting nucleic acid sequences controlling transcription and reverse transcription. Most retroelements have additional genes with regulatory or adaptive roles, both within the cell and for movement between cells and organisms. These features reflect the variety of mechanisms that have developed to ensure propagation of the elements and their ability to adapt to specific niches in their hosts with which they co-evolve.