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Zoulim F, Chen PJ, Dandri M, Kennedy P, Seeger C. Hepatitis B Virus DNA integration: Implications for diagnostics, therapy, and outcome. J Hepatol 2024:S0168-8278(24)02343-2. [PMID: 38971531 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2024.06.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
HBV DNA integration originally recognized as a non-functional byproduct of the HBV life cycle has now been accepted as a significant contributor to HBV pathogenesis and HDV persistence. Integrated HBV DNA is derived from linear genomic DNA present in virus particles or produced from aberrantly processed relaxed circular genomic DNA following an infection, and can drive expression of HBsAg and HBx. DNA integration events accumulate over the course of viral infection ranging from a few percent during early phases to nearly 100 percent of infected cells after prolonged chronic infection. HBV DNA integration events have primarily been investigated in the context of HCC development where they can activate known oncogenes and other growth promoting genes, cause chromosomal instability and presumably epigenetic alterations promoting tumor growth. More recent evidence suggests that HBsAg expression from integrated DNA might contribute to HBV pathogenesis by attenuating the immune response. Integrated DNA provides a source for envelope proteins required for HDV replication and hence represents a means for HDV persistence. Because integrated DNA is responsible for persistence of HBsAg in the absence of viral replication it impacts established criteria for the resolution of HBV infection which relies on HBsAg as a diagnostic marker. Integrated HBV DNA has been useful in assessing the turnover of infected hepatocytes which occurs during all phases of chronic hepatitis B including the initial phase of infection historically termed immune tolerant. HBV DNA integration was also shown to impact the development of novel therapies targeting viral RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabien Zoulim
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Hospices Civils de Lyon, INSERM, Lyon Hepatology Institute, Lyon, France.
| | - Pei-Jer Chen
- Hepatitis Research Center and Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Maura Dandri
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems Partner Site
| | - Patrick Kennedy
- Liver Centre, Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, UK
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Allweiss L, Volmari A, Suri V, Wallin JJ, Flaherty JF, Manuilov D, Downie B, Lütgehetmann M, Bockmann JH, Urban S, Wedemeyer H, Dandri M. Blocking viral entry with bulevirtide reduces the number of HDV-infected hepatocytes in human liver biopsies. J Hepatol 2024; 80:882-891. [PMID: 38340811 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2024.01.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Bulevirtide (BLV) is a first-in-class entry inhibitor and the only approved treatment for patients chronically infected with HDV in Europe. We aimed to investigate the efficacy of BLV treatment in paired liver biopsies obtained at baseline and after 24 or 48 weeks of treatment. METHODS We performed a combined analysis of 126 paired liver biopsies derived from three clinical trials. In the phase II clinical trial MYR202, patients with chronic hepatitis D were randomised to receive 24 weeks of BLV at 2 mg, 5 mg or 10 mg/day. Patients in MYR203 (phase II) and MYR301 (phase III) received 48 weeks of BLV at 2 mg or 10 mg/day. Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate monotherapy or delayed treatment served as comparators. Virological parameters and infection-related host genes were assessed by qPCR and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS At week 24, median intrahepatic HDV RNA decline from baseline was 0.9Log10 with 2 mg (n = 7), 1.1Log10 with 5 mg (n = 5) and 1.4 Log10 with 10 mg (n = 7) of BLV. At week 48, median reductions were 2.2Log10 with 2 mg (n = 27) and 2.7Log10 with 10 mg (n = 37) of BLV, while HDV RNA levels did not change in the comparator arms. Notably, a drastic decline in the number of hepatitis delta antigen-positive hepatocytes and a concomitant decrease in transcriptional levels of inflammatory chemokines and interferon-stimulated genes was determined in all BLV-treatment arms. Despite the abundance of HBsAg-positive hepatocytes, replication and covalently closed circular DNA levels of the helper virus HBV were low and remained unaffected by BLV treatment. CONCLUSION Blocking viral entry diminishes signs of liver inflammation and promotes a strong reduction of HDV infection within the liver, thus suggesting that some patients may achieve HDV cure with long-term treatment. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS Chronic infection with HDV causes the most severe form of viral hepatitis, affecting approximately 12 million people worldwide. The entry inhibitor bulevirtide (BLV) is the only recently approved anti-HDV drug, which has proven efficacious and safe in clinical trials and real-word data. Here, we investigated paired liver biopsies at baseline and after 24 or 48 weeks of treatment from three clinical trials to understand the effect of the drug on viral and host parameters in the liver, the site of viral replication. We found that BLV treatment strongly reduces the number of HDV-infected cells and signs of liver inflammation. This data implies that blocking viral entry ameliorates liver inflammation and that prolonged treatment regimens might lead to HDV cure in some patients. This concept will guide the further development of therapeutic strategies and combination treatments for patients with CHD. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBERS NCT03546621, NCT02888106, NCT03852719.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Allweiss
- I. Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hannover, Heidelberg and Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems Partner Sites, Germany
| | - Annika Volmari
- I. Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Marc Lütgehetmann
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hannover, Heidelberg and Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems Partner Sites, Germany
| | - Jan-Hendrik Bockmann
- I. Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hannover, Heidelberg and Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems Partner Sites, Germany
| | - Stephan Urban
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hannover, Heidelberg and Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems Partner Sites, Germany
| | - Heiner Wedemeyer
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hannover, Heidelberg and Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems Partner Sites, Germany
| | - Maura Dandri
- I. Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hannover, Heidelberg and Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems Partner Sites, Germany.
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Kuhn JH, Babaian A, Bergner LM, Dény P, Glebe D, Horie (堀江真行) M, Koonin EV, Krupovic M, Paraskevopoulou (Σοφία Παρασκευοπούλου) S, de la Peña M, Smura T, Hepojoki J. ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profile: Kolmioviridae 2024. J Gen Virol 2024; 105:001963. [PMID: 38421275 PMCID: PMC11145878 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001963] [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: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Kolmioviridae is a family for negative-sense RNA viruses with circular, viroid-like genomes of about 1.5-1.7 kb that are maintained in mammals, amphibians, birds, fish, insects and reptiles. Deltaviruses, for instance, can cause severe hepatitis in humans. Kolmiovirids encode delta antigen (DAg) and replicate using host-cell DNA-directed RNA polymerase II and ribozymes encoded in their genome and antigenome. They require evolutionary unrelated helper viruses to provide envelopes and incorporate helper virus proteins for infectious particle formation. This is a summary of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) Report on the family Kolmioviridae, which is available at ictv.global/report/kolmioviridae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens H. Kuhn
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Laura M. Bergner
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Paul Dény
- University Sorbonne Paris Nord, Bobigny, France
| | | | | | - Eugene V. Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Mart Krupovic
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Archaeal Virology Unit, Paris, France
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Bruno F, Abondio P, Bruno R, Ceraudo L, Paparazzo E, Citrigno L, Luiselli D, Bruni AC, Passarino G, Colao R, Maletta R, Montesanto A. Alzheimer's disease as a viral disease: Revisiting the infectious hypothesis. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 91:102068. [PMID: 37704050 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.102068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) represents the most frequent type of dementia in elderly people. Two major forms of the disease exist: sporadic - the causes of which have not yet been fully understood - and familial - inherited within families from generation to generation, with a clear autosomal dominant transmission of mutations in Presenilin 1 (PSEN1), 2 (PSEN2) or Amyloid Precursors Protein (APP) genes. The main hallmark of AD consists of extracellular deposits of amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptide and intracellular deposits of the hyperphosphorylated form of the tau protein. An ever-growing body of research supports the viral infectious hypothesis of sporadic forms of AD. In particular, it has been shown that several herpes viruses (i.e., HHV-1, HHV-2, HHV-3 or varicella zoster virus, HHV-4 or Epstein Barr virus, HHV-5 or cytomegalovirus, HHV-6A and B, HHV-7), flaviviruses (i.e., Zika virus, Dengue fever virus, Japanese encephalitis virus) as well as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), hepatitis viruses (HAV, HBV, HCV, HDV, HEV), SARS-CoV2, Ljungan virus (LV), Influenza A virus and Borna disease virus, could increase the risk of AD. Here, we summarized and discussed these results. Based on these findings, significant issues for future studies are also put forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Bruno
- Regional Neurogenetic Centre (CRN), Department of Primary Care, Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale Di Catanzaro, Viale A. Perugini, 88046 Lamezia Terme, CZ, Italy; Association for Neurogenetic Research (ARN), Lamezia Terme, CZ, Italy
| | - Paolo Abondio
- Laboratory of Ancient DNA, Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Via degli Ariani 1, 48121 Ravenna, Italy.
| | - Rossella Bruno
- Sudent at the Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, 88050 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Leognano Ceraudo
- Sudent at the Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Parma, 43121 Parma, Italy
| | - Ersilia Paparazzo
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende 87036, Italy
| | - Luigi Citrigno
- National Research Council (CNR) - Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation - (IRIB), 87050 Mangone, Cosenza, Italy
| | - Donata Luiselli
- Laboratory of Ancient DNA, Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Via degli Ariani 1, 48121 Ravenna, Italy
| | - Amalia C Bruni
- Regional Neurogenetic Centre (CRN), Department of Primary Care, Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale Di Catanzaro, Viale A. Perugini, 88046 Lamezia Terme, CZ, Italy; Association for Neurogenetic Research (ARN), Lamezia Terme, CZ, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Passarino
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende 87036, Italy
| | - Rosanna Colao
- Regional Neurogenetic Centre (CRN), Department of Primary Care, Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale Di Catanzaro, Viale A. Perugini, 88046 Lamezia Terme, CZ, Italy
| | - Raffaele Maletta
- Regional Neurogenetic Centre (CRN), Department of Primary Care, Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale Di Catanzaro, Viale A. Perugini, 88046 Lamezia Terme, CZ, Italy; Association for Neurogenetic Research (ARN), Lamezia Terme, CZ, Italy
| | - Alberto Montesanto
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende 87036, Italy.
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Hermanussen L, Lampalzer S, Bockmann JH, Ziegler AE, Piecha F, Dandri M, Pischke S, Haag F, Lohse AW, Lütgehetmann M, Weiler-Normann C, zur Wiesch JS. Non-organ-specific autoantibodies with unspecific patterns are a frequent para-infectious feature of chronic hepatitis D. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1169096. [PMID: 37387781 PMCID: PMC10300640 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1169096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Infections with hepatotropic viruses are associated with various immune phenomena. Hepatitis D virus (HDV) causes the most severe form of viral hepatitis. However, few recent data are available on non-disease-specific and non-organ-specific antibody (NOSA) titers and immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels in chronic hepatitis D (CHD) patients. Here, we examined the NOSA titers and IgG levels of 40 patients with CHD and different disease courses and compared them to 70 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection. 43% of CHD patients had previously undergone treatment with pegylated interferon-α (IFN-α). The antibody display of 46 untreated patients diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) was used as a reference. The frequency of elevated NOSA titers (CHD 69% vs. CHB 43%, p < 0.01), and the median IgG levels (CHD 16.9 g/L vs. CHB 12.7 g/L, p < 0.01) were significantly higher in CHD patients than in patients with CHB, and highest in patients with AIH (96%, 19.5 g/L). Also, the antinuclear antibody pattern was homogeneous in many patients with AIH and unspecific in patients with viral hepatitis. Additionally, f-actin autoantibodies were only detectable in patients with AIH (39% of SMA). In CHD patients, IgG levels correlated with higher HDV viral loads, transaminases, and liver stiffness values. IgG levels and NOSA were similar in CHD patients irrespective of a previous IFN-α treatment. In summary, autoantibodies with an unspecific pattern are frequently detected in CHD patients with unclear clinical relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennart Hermanussen
- Department of Medicine (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious diseases, and Tropical Medicine), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sibylle Lampalzer
- Department of Medicine (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious diseases, and Tropical Medicine), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan-Hendrik Bockmann
- Department of Medicine (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious diseases, and Tropical Medicine), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems Site, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Annerose E. Ziegler
- Department of Medicine (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious diseases, and Tropical Medicine), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Felix Piecha
- Department of Medicine (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious diseases, and Tropical Medicine), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems Site, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Maura Dandri
- Department of Medicine (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious diseases, and Tropical Medicine), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems Site, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sven Pischke
- Department of Medicine (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious diseases, and Tropical Medicine), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems Site, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Friedrich Haag
- Institute of Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ansgar W. Lohse
- Department of Medicine (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious diseases, and Tropical Medicine), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems Site, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marc Lütgehetmann
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems Site, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christina Weiler-Normann
- Department of Medicine (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious diseases, and Tropical Medicine), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Medicine and Martin Zeitz Centre for Rare Diseases, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Julian Schulze zur Wiesch
- Department of Medicine (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious diseases, and Tropical Medicine), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems Site, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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Strain-specific responsiveness of hepatitis D virus to interferon-alpha treatment. JHEP Rep 2023; 5:100673. [PMID: 36908749 PMCID: PMC9996322 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2023.100673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background & Aims Pegylated interferon alpha (pegIFNα) is commonly used for the treatment of people infected with HDV. However, its mode of action in HDV-infected cells remains elusive and only a minority of people respond to pegIFNα therapy. Herein, we aimed to assess the responsiveness of three different cloned HDV strains to pegIFNα. We used a previously cloned HDV genotype 1 strain (dubbed HDV-1a) that appeared insensitive to interferon-α in vitro, a new HDV strain (HDV-1p) we isolated from an individual achieving later sustained response to IFNα therapy, and one phylogenetically distant genotype 3 strain (HDV-3). Methods PegIFNα was administered to human liver chimeric mice infected with HBV and the different HDV strains or to HBV/HDV infected human hepatocytes isolated from chimeric mice. Virological parameters and host responses were analysed by qPCR, sequencing, immunoblotting, RNA in situ hybridisation and immunofluorescence staining. Results PegIFNα treatment efficiently reduced HDV RNA viraemia (∼2-log) and intrahepatic HDV markers both in mice infected with HBV/HDV-1p and HBV/HDV-3. In contrast, HDV parameters remained unaffected by pegIFNα treatment both in mice (up to 9 weeks) and in isolated cells infected with HBV/HDV-1a. Notably, HBV viraemia was efficiently lowered (∼2-log) and human interferon-stimulated genes similarly induced in all three HBV/HDV-infected mouse groups receiving pegIFNα. Genome sequencing revealed highly conserved ribozyme and L-hepatitis D antigen post-translational modification sites among all three isolates. Conclusions Our comparative study indicates the ability of pegIFNα to lower HDV loads in stably infected human hepatocytes in vivo and the existence of complex virus-specific determinants of IFNα responsiveness. Impact and implications Understanding factors counteracting HDV infections is paramount to develop curative therapies. We compared the responsiveness of three different cloned HDV strains to pegylated interferon alpha in chronically infected mice. The different responsiveness of these HDV isolates to treatment highlights a previously underestimated heterogeneity among HDV strains.
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Key Words
- ADAR, adenosine deaminase
- ADF, adefovir
- AG, antigenomic
- Actb, actin beta
- Antiviral
- BSA, bovine serum albumin
- CHD, chronic hepatitis D
- CK18, cytokeratin 18
- CXCL10, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10
- Eef2, eukaryotic elongation factor
- FCS, foetal calf serum
- GAPDH, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase
- Genotype
- HBsAg, hepatitis B virus surface antigen
- HDAg, hepatitis delta antigen (S, small, L, large)
- HDV
- HLA, human leucocyte antigen
- HSA, uman serum albumin
- Human liver chimeric mice
- IFNα, interferon α
- ISGs, interferon stimulated genes
- LAM, lamivudine
- LLoD, lower limit of detection
- MDA5, melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5
- MOI, multiplicity of infection
- Mavs, mitochondrial antiviral-signalling protein
- MoA, mode of action
- MxA, myxovirus resistance gene A
- NTCP, sodium (Na+) taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide
- NUCs, nucleos(t)ide analogues
- OAS1, 2′-5′-oligoadenylatsynthetase 1
- PEG, polyethylene glycol
- PHHs, primary human hepatocytes
- RNP, ribonucleoprotein
- Resistance
- Rig-I, retinoic acid-inducible gene I
- SCID, severe combined immunodeficiency
- STAT1, signal transducers and activators of transcription 1
- TGFβ, transforming growth factor-β
- USG, uPA/SCID/beige/IL2RG-/-
- casp, caspase
- hAAT, human alpha antitrypsin
- pegIFNα, pegylated interferon alpha
- pgRNA, pregenomic RNA
- qPCR, quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction
- uPA, urokinase plasminogen activator
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