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Liu Y, Park D, Cafiero TR, Bram Y, Chandar V, Tseng A, Gertje HP, Crossland NA, Su L, Schwartz RE, Ploss A. Molecular clones of genetically distinct hepatitis B virus genotypes reveal distinct host and drug treatment responses. JHEP Rep 2022; 4:100535. [PMID: 36035359 PMCID: PMC9403497 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2022.100535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background & Aims HBV exhibits wide genetic diversity with at least 9 genotypes (GTs), which differ in terms of prevalence, geographic distribution, natural history, disease progression, and treatment outcome. However, differences in HBV replicative capacity, gene expression, and infective capability across different GTs remain incompletely understood. Herein, we aimed to study these crucial aspects using newly constructed infectious clones covering the major HBV GTs. Methods The replicative capacity of infectious clones covering HBV GTs A-E was analyzed in cell lines, primary hepatocytes and humanized mice. Host responses and histopathology induced by the different HBV GTs were characterized in hydrodynamically injected mice. Differences in treatment responses to entecavir and various HBV capsid inhibitors were also quantified across the different genetically defined GTs. Results Patient-derived HBV infectious clones replicated robustly both in vitro and in vivo. GTs A and D induce more pronounced intrahepatic and proinflammatory cytokine responses which correlated with faster viral clearance. Notably, all 5 HBV clones robustly produced viral particles following transfection into HepG2 cells, and these particles were infectious in HepG2-NTCP cells, primary human hepatocytes and human chimeric mice. Notably, GT D virus exhibited higher infectivity than GTs A, B, C and E in vitro, although it was comparable to GT A and B in the human liver chimeric mice in vivo. HBV capsid inhibitors were more readily capable of suppressing HBV GTs A, B, D and E than C. Conclusions The infectious clones described here have broad utility as genetic tools that can mechanistically dissect intergenotypic differences in antiviral immunity and pathogenesis and aid in HBV drug development and screening. Lay summary The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major contributor to human morbidity and mortality. HBV can be categorized into a number of genotypes, based on their specific genetic make-up, of which 9 are well known. We isolated and cloned the genomes of 5 of these genotypes and used them to create valuable tools for future research on this clinically important virus.
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Key Words
- AAV, adeno-associated virus
- ALT, alanine aminotransferase
- BCP, basic core promoter
- CHB, chronic hepatitis B
- CpAM, core protein allosteric modulators
- DR, direct repeat
- ETV, entecavir
- En, enhancer
- GT(s), genotype(s)
- HBV, hepatitis B virus
- HBVcc, cell culture-derived HBV
- HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma
- HDI, hydrodynamic injection
- IFN, interferon
- IHC, immunohistochemistry
- IL, interleukin
- MOI, multiplicity of infection
- NA, nucleos(t)ide analogue
- NRG, NODRag1−/−IL2RγNULL
- PHH, primiary human hepatocyte
- SVR, sustained virologic response
- cccDNA, covalently closed circular DNA
- dpi, days post infection
- drug development
- genotypes
- hepatitis B
- hepatitis B virus
- host responses
- pgRNA, pre-genomic RNA
- reverse genetics
- viral hepatitis
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongzhen Liu
- Department of Molecular Biology, Lewis Thomas Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Debby Park
- Department of Molecular Biology, Lewis Thomas Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Thomas R. Cafiero
- Department of Molecular Biology, Lewis Thomas Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Yaron Bram
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vasuretha Chandar
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anna Tseng
- National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hans P. Gertje
- National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nicholas A. Crossland
- National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lishan Su
- Division of Virology, Pathogenesis and Cancer, Institute of Human Virology, Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert E. Schwartz
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics, and Systems Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alexander Ploss
- Department of Molecular Biology, Lewis Thomas Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
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Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the major global health problems, especially in economically under-developed or developing countries. HBV infection can lead to a number of clinical outcomes including chronic infection, cirrhosis and liver cancer. It ranks among the top 10 causes of death, being responsible for around 1 million deaths every year. Despite the availability of a highly efficient vaccine and potent antiviral agents, HBV infection still remains a significant clinical problem, particularly in those high endemicity areas where vaccination of large populations has not been possible due to economic reasons. Although HBV is among the smallest viruses in terms of virion and genome size, it has numerous unique features that make it completely distinct from other DNA viruses. It has a partially double stranded DNA with highly complex genome organization, life cycle and natural history. Remarkably distinct from other DNA viruses, it uses an RNA intermediate called pregenomic RNA (pgRNA) and reverse transcriptase for its genome replication. Genome replication is accomplished by a complex mechanism of primer shifting facilitated by direct repeat sequences encoded in the genome. Further, the genome has evolved in such a manner that every single nucleotide of the genome is used for either coding viral proteins or used as regulatory regions or both. Moreover, it utilizes internal in-frame translation initiation codons, as well as different reading frames from the same RNA to generate different proteins with diverse functions. HBV also shows considerable genetic variability which has been related with clinical outcomes, replication potential, therapeutic response etc. This review aims at reviewing fundamental events of the viral life cycle including viral replication, transcription and translation, from the molecular standpoint, as well as, highlights the clinical relevance of genetic variability of HBV.
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Key Words
- AUG, translation start codon
- BCP, basal core promoter
- CHB, chronic hepatitis B infection
- DR, direct repeat
- EBP, enhancer binding protein
- EN, enhancer
- ER, endoplasmic reticulum
- HBV, hepatitis B virus
- HBsAg
- HCC, hepatocellular cancer
- Hepadnavirus
- IL, interleukin
- LEF, liver enriched factors
- LHB, large envelope protein
- MHBs, middle hepatitis B surface antigen
- MHR, major hydrophilic region
- ORF, open reading frames
- PC, precore
- RT, reverse transcriptase
- SHBs, small hepatitis B surface antigen
- TGF-α, transforming growth factor-α
- TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor-α
- TP, terminal protein
- WHV, woodchuck hepatitis virus
- cccDNA, covalently closed circular
- dGMP, deoxyguanosine monophosphate
- genotype
- pHSA, poly-human serum albumin
- pgRNA
- pgRNA, pregenomic RNA
- rcDNA
- rcDNA, relaxed circular DNA
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Vijay Veer
- Defence Research Laboratory Tezpur, Tezpur, Assam, India
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