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Giraud G, El Achi K, Zoulim F, Testoni B. Co-Transcriptional Regulation of HBV Replication: RNA Quality Also Matters. Viruses 2024; 16:615. [PMID: 38675956 PMCID: PMC11053573 DOI: 10.3390/v16040615] [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: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) virus infection is a major public health burden and the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma. Despite the efficacy of current treatments, hepatitis B virus (HBV) cannot be fully eradicated due to the persistence of its minichromosome, or covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA). The HBV community is investing large human and financial resources to develop new therapeutic strategies that either silence or ideally degrade cccDNA, to cure HBV completely or functionally. cccDNA transcription is considered to be the key step for HBV replication. Transcription not only influences the levels of viral RNA produced, but also directly impacts their quality, generating multiple variants. Growing evidence advocates for the role of the co-transcriptional regulation of HBV RNAs during CHB and viral replication, paving the way for the development of novel therapies targeting these processes. This review focuses on the mechanisms controlling the different co-transcriptional processes that HBV RNAs undergo, and their contribution to both viral replication and HBV-induced liver pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Giraud
- INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR5286, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69008 Lyon, France (F.Z.)
- The Lyon Hepatology Institute EVEREST, 69003 Lyon, France
| | - Khadija El Achi
- INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR5286, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69008 Lyon, France (F.Z.)
| | - Fabien Zoulim
- INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR5286, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69008 Lyon, France (F.Z.)
- The Lyon Hepatology Institute EVEREST, 69003 Lyon, France
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Croix Rousse, Service d’Hépato-Gastroentérologie, 69004 Lyon, France
| | - Barbara Testoni
- INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR5286, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69008 Lyon, France (F.Z.)
- The Lyon Hepatology Institute EVEREST, 69003 Lyon, France
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2
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Yu Y, Schneider WM, Kass MA, Michailidis E, Acevedo A, Pamplona Mosimann AL, Bordignon J, Koenig A, Livingston CM, van Gijzel H, Ni Y, Ambrose PM, Freije CA, Zhang M, Zou C, Kabbani M, Quirk C, Jahan C, Wu X, Urban S, You S, Shlomai A, de Jong YP, Rice CM. An RNA-based system to study hepatitis B virus replication and evaluate antivirals. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg6265. [PMID: 37043562 PMCID: PMC10096565 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg6265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) chronically infects an estimated 300 million people, and standard treatments are rarely curative. Infection increases the risk of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and consequently, nearly 1 million people die each year from chronic hepatitis B. Tools and approaches that bring insights into HBV biology and facilitate the discovery and evaluation of antiviral drugs are in demand. Here, we describe a method to initiate the replication of HBV, a DNA virus, using synthetic RNA. This approach eliminates contaminating background signals from input virus or plasmid DNA that plagues existing systems and can be used to study multiple stages of HBV replication. We further demonstrate that this method can be uniquely applied to identify sequence variants that confer resistance to antiviral drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingpu Yu
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - William M. Schneider
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Maximilian A. Kass
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Eleftherios Michailidis
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Ashley Acevedo
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Ana L. Pamplona Mosimann
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Juliano Bordignon
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Alexander Koenig
- Infectious Diseases Research Unit, GSK, Upper Providence, PA 19426, USA
| | | | | | - Yi Ni
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pradeep M. Ambrose
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics, and Systems Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Catherine A. Freije
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Mengyin Zhang
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Chenhui Zou
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Mohammad Kabbani
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Corrine Quirk
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Cyprien Jahan
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Xianfang Wu
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Stephan Urban
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Shihyun You
- Infectious Diseases Research Unit, GSK, Upper Providence, PA 19426, USA
| | - Amir Shlomai
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Ype P. de Jong
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Charles M. Rice
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
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3
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Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a hepatotropic virus and an important human pathogen. There are an estimated 296 million people in the world that are chronically infected by this virus, and many of them will develop severe liver diseases including hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HBV is a small DNA virus that replicates via the reverse transcription pathway. In this review, we summarize the molecular pathways that govern the replication of HBV and its interactions with host cells. We also discuss viral and non-viral factors that are associated with HBV-induced carcinogenesis and pathogenesis, as well as the role of host immune responses in HBV persistence and liver pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chen Chuang
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Kuen-Nan Tsai
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Jing-Hsiung James Ou
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
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4
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A global survey of alternative splicing of HBV transcriptome using long-read sequencing. J Hepatol 2022; 76:234-236. [PMID: 34331966 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2021.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
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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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Zhou M, Qin B, Deng XS, Zeng XL, Lu Y, Huang ZG, Wu CC, Mou LS. hNTCP‑expressing primary pig hepatocytes are a valuable tool for investigating hepatitis B virus infection and antiviral drugs. Mol Med Rep 2019; 20:3820-3828. [PMID: 31485670 PMCID: PMC6755163 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2019.10628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) are the 'gold standard' for investigating hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and antiviral drugs. However, poor availability, variation between batches and ethical issues regarding PHHs limit their applications. The discovery of human sodium taurocholate co‑transporting polypeptide (hNTCP) as a functional HBV receptor has enabled the development of a surrogate model to supplement the use of PHHs. In the present study, the evolutionary distance of seven species was assessed based on single‑copy homologous genes. Based on the evolutionary distance and availability, PHHs and primary rabbit hepatocytes (PRHs) were isolated and infected with hNTCP‑recombinant lentivirus, and susceptibility to HBV infection in the two cell types was tested and compared. In addition, HBV infection efficiency of hNTCP‑expressing PPHs with pooled HBV‑positive serum and purified particles was determined. The potential use of HBV‑infected hNTCP‑expressing PPHs for drug screening was assessed. The results demonstrated that pigs and rabbits are closer to humans in the divergence tree compared with mice and rats, indicating that pigs and rabbits were more likely to facilitate the HBV post‑entry lifecycle. Following hNTCP complementation and HBV infection, PPHs and Huh7D human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, but not PRHs, exhibited increased hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis B e‑antigen secretion, covalently closed circular DNA formation and infectious particle secretion. hNTCP‑expressing PPHs were susceptible to infection with HBV particles purified from pooled HBV‑positive sera, but were poisoned by raw HBV‑positive sera. The use of HBV‑infected hNTCP‑expressing PPHs for viral entry inhibitor screening was revealed to be applicable and reproducible. In conclusion, hNTCP‑expressing PPHs may be valuable tool for investigating HBV infection and antiviral drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zhou
- Shenzhen Xenotransplantation Research and Development Center, Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518035, P.R. China
| | - Bo Qin
- Clinical Laboratory Center, Shaoxing People's Hospital, Shaoxing Hospital of Zhejiang University, Shaoxing, Zhejiang 312000, P.R. China
| | - Xue-Song Deng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518035, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Li Zeng
- Department of Internal Medicine, The Second People's Hospital of Futian District, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518049, P.R. China
| | - Ying Lu
- Shenzhen Xenotransplantation Research and Development Center, Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518035, P.R. China
| | - Zi-Gang Huang
- Liver‑Biotechnology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, Guangdong 518110, P.R. China
| | - Chun-Chen Wu
- Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, P.R. China
| | - Li-Sha Mou
- Shenzhen Xenotransplantation Research and Development Center, Institute of Translational Medicine, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518035, P.R. China
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7
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Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator family members competitively regulate hepatitis b virus biosynthesis. Virology 2018; 526:214-221. [PMID: 30419515 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2018.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Transcriptional coactivators represent critical components of the transcriptional pre-initiation complex and are required for efficient gene activation. Members of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 (PGC1) family differentially regulate hepatitis b virus (HBV) biosynthesis. Whereas PGC1α has been shown to be a potent activator of HBV biosynthesis, PGC1β only very poorly activates HBV RNA and DNA synthesis in human hepatoma (HepG2) and embryonic kidney (HEK293T) cells. Furthermore, PGC1β inhibits PGC1α-mediated HBV biosynthesis. These observations suggest that a potential competition between human hepatoma (HepG2) and embryonic kidney (HEK293T) cells PGC1α and PGC1β for common transcription factor target(s) may regulate HBV transcription and replication in a context and signal transduction pathway dependent manner.
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8
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PGC1α Transcriptional Adaptor Function Governs Hepatitis B Virus Replication by Controlling HBcAg/p21 Protein-Mediated Capsid Formation. J Virol 2017; 91:JVI.00790-17. [PMID: 28768874 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00790-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 07/30/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In the human hepatoma cell line Huh7, the coexpression of the coactivators peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC1α), cyclic AMP-responsive element binding protein binding protein (CBP), steroid receptor coactivator 1 (SRC1), and protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) only modestly increase hepatitis B virus (HBV) biosynthesis. However, by utilizing the human embryonic kidney cell line HEK293T, it was possible to demonstrate that PGC1α alone can support viral biosynthesis independently of the expression of additional coactivators or transcription factors. In contrast, additional coactivators failed to support robust HBV replication in the absence of PGC1α. These observations indicate that PGC1α represents a novel adaptor molecule capable of recruiting the necessary transcriptional machinery to the HBV nucleocapsid promoter to modestly enhance viral pregenomic 3.5-kb RNA synthesis. Although this change in transcription is associated with a similar modest change in hepatitis B virus core antigen polypeptide (HBcAg/p21) synthesis, it mediates a dramatic increase in viral capsid production and robust viral replication. Therefore, it is apparent that the synthesis of cytoplasmic HBcAg/p21 above a critical threshold level is required for the efficient assembly of HBV replication-competent viral capsids.IMPORTANCE Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major human pathogen, and novel targets for the development of additional therapeutic agents are urgently needed. Here we demonstrate that the coactivator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC1α) serves as a unique adaptor molecule for the recruitment of additional coactivator proteins, which can finely regulate HBV transcription. The consequence of this precise regulation of viral RNA levels by PGC1α is a subtle increase in cytoplasmic HBcAg/p21 polypeptide translation, which shifts the equilibrium from dimer formation dramatically in favor of viral capsid assembly. These findings suggest that both PGC1α and capsid assembly may represent attractive targets for the development of antiviral agents against chronic HBV infection.
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9
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Lim CS, Brown CM. Hepatitis B virus nuclear export elements: RNA stem-loop α and β, key parts of the HBV post-transcriptional regulatory element. RNA Biol 2016; 13:743-7. [PMID: 27031749 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2016.1166330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Many viruses contain RNA elements that modulate splicing and/or promote nuclear export of their RNAs. The RNAs of the major human pathogen, hepatitis B virus (HBV) contain a large (~600 bases) composite cis-acting 'post-transcriptional regulatory element' (PRE). This element promotes expression from these naturally intronless transcripts. Indeed, the related woodchuck hepadnavirus PRE (WPRE) is used to enhance expression in gene therapy and other expression vectors. These PRE are likely to act through a combination of mechanisms, including promotion of RNA nuclear export. Functional components of both the HBV PRE and WPRE are 2 conserved RNA cis-acting stem-loop (SL) structures, SLα and SLβ. They are within the coding regions of polymerase (P) gene, and both P and X genes, respectively. Based on previous studies using mutagenesis and/or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), here we propose 2 covariance models for SLα and SLβ. The model for the 30-nucleotide SLα contains a G-bulge and a CNGG(U) apical loop of which the first and the fourth loop residues form a CG pair and the fifth loop residue is bulged out, as observed in the NMR structure. The model for the 23-nucleotide SLβ contains a 7-base-pair stem and a 9-nucleotide loop. Comparison of the models with other RNA structural elements, as well as similarity searches of human transcriptome and viral genomes demonstrate that SLα and SLβ are specific to HBV transcripts. However, they are well conserved among the hepadnaviruses of non-human primates, the woodchuck and ground squirrel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Shen Lim
- a Biochemistry and Genetics Otago , University of Otago , Dunedin , New Zealand
| | - Chris M Brown
- a Biochemistry and Genetics Otago , University of Otago , Dunedin , New Zealand
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10
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Cheng Z, Zhi X, Sun G, Guo W, Huang Y, Sun W, Tian X, Zhao F, Hu K. Sodium selenite suppresses hepatitis B virus transcription and replication in human hepatoma cell lines. J Med Virol 2015; 88:653-63. [PMID: 26331371 PMCID: PMC7167125 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.24366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the most serious and prevalent health problems worldwide. Current anti‐HBV medications have a number of drawbacks, such as adverse effects and drug resistance; thus, novel potential anti‐HBV reagents are needed. Selenium (Se) has been shown to be involved in both human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus infections, but its role in HBV infection remains unclear. To address this, sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) was applied to three HBV cell models: HepG2.2.15 cells, and HuH‐7 cells transfected with either 1.1 or 1.3× HBV plasmids. Cytotoxicity of Na2SeO3 was examined by Cell Counting Kit‐8. Levels of viral antigen expression, transcripts, and encapsidated viral DNA were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, northern blot, and Southern blot, respectively. There was no obvious cytotoxicity in either HepG2.2.15 or HuH‐7 cells with <2.5 µM Na2SeO3. Below this concentration, Na2SeO3 suppressed HBsAg and HBeAg production, HBV transcript level, and amount of genomic DNA in all three tested models, and suppression level was enhanced in line with increases in Na2SeO3 concentration or treatment time. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of Na2SeO3 on HBV replication can be further enhanced by combined treatment with lamivudine, entecavir, or adefovir. Thus, the present study clearly proves that Na2SeO3 suppresses HBV protein expression, transcription, and genome replication in hepatoma cell models in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner. J. Med. Virol. 88:653–663, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhikui Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Xiaoguang Zhi
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Ge Sun
- Sino-Germany Biomedical Center, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Wei Guo
- Department of Infectious Disease and Institute of Infectious Disease, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Tongji, China
| | - Yayun Huang
- Sino-Germany Biomedical Center, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Weihua Sun
- Sino-Germany Biomedical Center, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Xiaohui Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Fei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Kanghong Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.,Sino-Germany Biomedical Center, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
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11
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Ricardo-Lax I, Ramanan V, Michailidis E, Shamia T, Reuven N, Rice CM, Shlomai A, Shaul Y. Hepatitis B virus induces RNR-R2 expression via DNA damage response activation. J Hepatol 2015; 63:789-96. [PMID: 26026873 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2015.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2014] [Revised: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infects and replicates in quiescent hepatocytes, which are deficient in dNTPs, the critical precursors of HBV replication. Most tumor viruses promote dNTP production in host cells by inducing cell proliferation. Although HBV is known as a major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma, it does not lead to cellular proliferation. Instead, HBV acquires dNTPs by activating the expression of the R2 subunit of the Ribonucleotide Reductase (RNR) holoenzyme, the cell cycle gene that is rate-limiting for generation of dNTPs, without inducing the cell cycle. We wished to elucidate the molecular basis of HBV-dependent R2 expression in quiescent cells. METHODS Quiescent HepG2 cells were transduced with an HBV-containing lentiviral vector, and primary human hepatocytes were infected with HBV. DNA damage response and RNR-R2 gene expression were monitored under this condition. RESULTS We report here that HBV-induced R2 expression is mediated by the E2F1 transcription factor, and that HBV induces E2F1 accumulation, modification and binding to the R2 promoter. We found that Chk1, a known E2F1 kinase that functions in response to DNA damage, was activated by HBV. In cells where Chk1 was pharmacologically inhibited, or depleted by shRNA-mediated knockdown, HBV-mediated R2 expression was severely attenuated. Furthermore, we found that HBV attenuates DNA repair, thus reducing cellular dNTP consumption. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate that HBV exploits the Chk1-E2F1 axis of the DNA damage response pathway to induce R2 expression in a cell cycle-independent manner. This suggests that inhibition of this pathway may have a therapeutic value for HBV carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inna Ricardo-Lax
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Vyas Ramanan
- Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States
| | - Eleftherios Michailidis
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, Center for the Study of Hepatitis C, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Tal Shamia
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Nina Reuven
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Charles M Rice
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, Center for the Study of Hepatitis C, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Amir Shlomai
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, Center for the Study of Hepatitis C, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, United States.
| | - Yosef Shaul
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
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12
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Zhou M, Huang Y, Cheng Z, Zhao F, Li J, Zhi X, Tian X, Sun W, Hu K. Revival, characterization, and hepatitis B virus infection of cryopreserved human fetal hepatocytes. J Virol Methods 2014; 207:29-37. [PMID: 24977316 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2014.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2014] [Revised: 06/19/2014] [Accepted: 06/20/2014] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Primary human hepatocytes are considered the ideal cellular model for in-vitro studies of liver-specific pathology, such as hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. However, poor accessibility, limited cell numbers, and lot-to-lot variation of primary human hepatocytes limit their broad application. Human fetal hepatocytes were isolated from postmortem embryonic liver tissues by two-step collagenase perfusion and cryopreserved. A monolayer of cryopreserved human fetal hepatocytes was established by optimizing such conditions as cell density and viability and purification of viable cells by Percoll. Finally, revived human fetal hepatocytes were characterized and infected with HBV. A large number of viable human fetal hepatocytes could be isolated and cryopreserved, with seeding density and viability being critical for the establishment of a compact monolayer culture. Using low-viability cryopreserved human fetal hepatocytes, a typical monolayer was established by purification with Percoll. The revived cells were actively proliferative, showed identical morphologic characteristics to non-cryopreserved cells, and had a typical hepatic gene expression profile. Moreover, this optimized model was susceptible to HBV infection and could be used to screen entry inhibitors against HBV infection. In conclusion, these methods can be used on human fetal hepatocytes to provide a cell bank for studies of the early stages of HBV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yayun Huang
- Biomedical Center, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhikui Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Fei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiafu Li
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaoguang Zhi
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaohui Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Weihua Sun
- Biomedical Center, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Kanghong Hu
- Biomedical Center, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.
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13
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Zhou M, Zhao F, Li J, Cheng Z, Tian X, Zhi X, Huang Y, Hu K. Long-term maintenance of human fetal hepatocytes and prolonged susceptibility to HBV infection by co-culture with non-parenchymal cells. J Virol Methods 2013; 195:185-93. [PMID: 24134944 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2013.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2013] [Revised: 09/25/2013] [Accepted: 10/01/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Within a few days of being isolated, primary human hepatocytes undergo a rapid dedifferentiation process and lose susceptibility to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in vitro. This fact has limited their further application. In this study, a convenient and feasible method of preventing this dedifferentiation was established, by co-culturing human fetal hepatocytes with hepatic non-parenchymal cells to maintain the differentiation features of human fetal hepatocytes. Isolated hepatic cells were seeded at a low density, and cultured in dimethyl sulfoxide-free medium for a month to allow rapid proliferation of non-parenchymal cells. Subsequently, 2% dimethyl sulfoxide was added to induce formation of typical hepatic islands, in which hepatocytic features could be further maintained for up to an additional 3 months. These hepatic islands, formed of piled-up hepatocytes, were surrounded and invaded by non-parenchymal cells. Protein expression profiles showed that the human fetal hepatocytes underwent a rapid maturation process, and the hepatocytic features were well preserved. Most importantly, these human fetal hepatocytes still exhibited susceptibility to HBV infection after long-term maintenance, for as long as 10 weeks. This co-culture method has overcome the pre-existing disadvantages of primary human hepatocytes for virological studies, and provides a valuable approach to long-term maintenance of primary human hepatocytes for studies of HBV infection for prolonged periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
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14
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Effects of HBV Genetic Variability on RNAi Strategies. HEPATITIS RESEARCH AND TREATMENT 2011; 2011:367908. [PMID: 21760994 PMCID: PMC3132485 DOI: 10.1155/2011/367908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2011] [Accepted: 04/15/2011] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
RNAi strategies present promising antiviral strategies against HBV. RNAi strategies require base pairing between short RNAi effectors and targets in the HBV pregenome or other RNAs. Natural variation in HBV genotypes, quasispecies variation, or mutations selected by the RNAi strategy could potentially make these strategies less effective. However, current and proposed antiviral strategies against HBV are being, or could be, designed to avoid this. This would involve simultaneous targeting of multiple regions of the genome, or regions in which variation or mutation is not tolerated. RNAi strategies against single genotypes or against variable regions of the genome would need to have significant other advantages to be part of robust therapies.
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15
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Cohen D, Adamovich Y, Reuven N, Shaul Y. Hepatitis B virus activates deoxynucleotide synthesis in nondividing hepatocytes by targeting the R2 gene. Hepatology 2010; 51:1538-46. [PMID: 20155784 DOI: 10.1002/hep.23519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Hepatitis B virus (HBV) causes liver diseases from acute hepatitis to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Currently, more than 350 million people are chronic HBV carriers, with devastating prognosis. HBV is a small enveloped noncytopathic virus, containing a circular partially double-stranded DNA genome, and exhibits strong tropism for human liver cells. Infected individuals (acute and chronic) secrete about 10(7) to 10(11) virions per day to the bloodstream, with each infected cell releasing 50-300 viruses per day. HBV infects nondividing hepatocytes and replicates by reverse-transcribing the pregenomic RNA to DNA in the host cells. The level of deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates (dNTPs) in nondividing cells is too low to support viral replication and enable the high yield of secreted virions. Here, we report production of dNTPs by viral-dependent transcription activation of R2, the key component of ribonucleotide reductase (RNR), and show that this process is critical for the HBV life-cycle. This was found in an established HBV-positive cell line and was reproduced by HBV DNA-transduced cells, in both culture and mice. Furthermore, the viral hepatitis B X protein is essential in activating R2 expression by blocking access of Regulatory factor x1, a repressor of the R2 gene. CONCLUSION Our findings demonstrate that the hepatitis B X protein is critical in infecting nonproliferating hepatocytes, which contain a low dNTP level. In addition, we provide molecular evidence for a new mechanism of HBV-host cell interaction where RNR-R2, a critical cell-cycle gene, is selectively activated in nonproliferating cells. This mechanism may set the stage for formulating a new category of anti-HBV drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorit Cohen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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Reese V, Ondracek C, Rushing C, Li L, Oropeza CE, McLachlan A. Multiple nuclear receptors may regulate hepatitis B virus biosynthesis during development. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2009; 43:230-7. [PMID: 19941970 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2009.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2009] [Revised: 09/22/2009] [Accepted: 11/18/2009] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) replicates by the reverse transcription of the viral 3.5 kb pregenomic RNA. Therefore the level of expression of this transcript in the liver is a primary determinant of HBV biosynthesis. In vivo neonatal transcription of the HBV 3.5 kb pregenomic RNA is developmental regulated by hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α). In addition, viral biosynthesis in non-hepatoma cells can be supported directly by this nuclear receptor. However HBV transcription and replication can be supported by additional nuclear receptors including the retinoid X receptor α/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (RXRα/PPARα), retinoid X receptor α/farnesoid X receptor α (RXRα/FXRα), liver receptor homolog 1 (LRH1) and estrogen-related receptors (ERR) in non-hepatoma cells. Therefore during neonatal liver development, HNF4α may progressively activate viral transcription and replication by binding directly to the proximal HNF4α recognition sequence within the nucleocapsid promoter. Alternatively, HNF4α may support viral biosynthesis in vivo indirectly by activating a network of liver-enriched nuclear receptors that, in combination, direct HBV 3.5 kb pregenomic RNA transcription and replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Reese
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612-7344, USA.
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Abstract
Previous studies of human hepatitis B virus (HBV) transcription revealed the requirement of two enhancer elements. Enhancer I (EnhI) is located upstream of the X promoter and is targeted by multiple activators, including basic leucine zipper proteins, and enhancer II (EnhII) is located upstream to the PreCore promoter and is targeted mainly by nuclear receptors (NRs). The mode of interplay between these enhancers and their unique contributions in regulating HBV transcription remained obscure. By using time course analysis we revealed that the HBV transcripts are categorized into early and late groups. Chang (CCL-13) cells are impaired in expression of the late transcripts. This could be corrected by overexpressing EnhII activators, such as hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha, the retinoid X receptor alpha, and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha, suggesting that in Chang cells EnhI but not EnhII is active. Replacing the 5'-end EnhI sequence with a synthetic Gal4 response (UAS) DNA fragment ceased the production of the early transcripts. Under this condition NR overexpression poorly activated EnhII. However, activation of the UAS by Gal4-p53 restored both the expression of the early transcripts and the EnhII response to NRs. Thus, a functional EnhI is required for activation of EnhII. We found a major difference between Gal4-p53 and Gal4-VP16 behavior. Gal4-p53 activated the early transcripts, while Gal4-VP16 inhibited the early transcripts but activated the late transcripts. These findings indicate that the composition of the EnhI binding proteins may play a role in early to late switching. Our data provides strong evidence for the role of EnhI in regulating global and temporal HBV gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilad Doitsh
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
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