Measures of insulin resistance and beta cell function before and after treatment of HCV infection

The association between chronic HCV infection and type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)has been established;however,there is limited research onβ-cell function particularly in the pre-diabetic population.Here,we evaluated indices ofβ-cell function and insulin sensitivity across the spectrum from normal glucose tolerance to T2DMin individuals with and without chronic hepatitis C(CHC),and the effects of antiviral treatments on these variables.A total of 153 noncirrhotic,non-fibrotic CHC patients with a BMI<25 were enrolled in the study.Among them,119 were successfully treated with either direct acting antiviral(DAA)drugs or pegylated interferon/ribavirin(IFN/RBV)anti-HCV therapy.Fasting state-and oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT)-derived indexes were used to evaluateβ-cell function and insulin sensitivity.Among all subjects,19(13%)had T2DM and 21%exhibited pre-diabetes including 8%isolated impaired fasting glucose(IFG)and 13%combined IFG and impaired glucose tolerance(IGT).Early and total insulin secretion adjusted for the degree of insulin resistance were decreased in pre-diabetic CHC patients compared to HCVuninfected individuals.Viral eradication through DAA or IFN/RBV therapy demonstrated positive impacts on insulin sensitivity andβ-cell function in CHC patients who achieved sustained virologic response(SVR),regardless of fasting or OGTT state.These findings emphasize the role of HCV in the development ofβ-cell dysfunction,while also suggesting that viral eradication can improve insulin secretion,reverse insulin resistance,and ameliorate glycemic control.These results have important implications for managing pre-diabetic CHC patients and could prevent diabetes-related clinical manifestations and complications.

Productive HBV infection of well-differentiated, hNTCP-expressing human hepatoma-derived(Huh7) cells

Feasible and effective cell models for hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection are required for investigating the complete lifecycle of this virus, including the early steps of viral entry. Resistance to dimethyl sulfoxide/polyethylene glycol(DMSO/PEG), h NTCP expression, and a differentiated state are the limiting factors for successful HBV infection models. In the present study, we used a hepatoma cell line(Hu7^(hDNTCPh)) to overcome these limiting factors so that it exhibits excellent susceptibility to HBV infection. To achieve this goal, different hepatoma cell lines were tested with 2.5% DMSO/4%PEG8000, and one resistant cell line(Huh7 D) was used to construct a stable h NTCP-expressing cell line(Hu7^(hDNTCPh)) using a recombinant lentivirus system. Then, the morphological characteristics and differentiation molecular markers of Hu7^(hDNTCPh) cells with or without DMSO treatment were characterized. Finally, the susceptibility of Hu7^(hDNTCPh) cells to HBV infection was assessed. Our results showed that Huh7 D cells were resistant to 2.5% DMSO/4% PEG8000, whereas the others were not. Hu7^(hDNTCPh) cells were established to express a high level of h NTCP compared to liver extracts, and Hu7^(hDNTCPh) cells rapidly transformed into a non-dividing, well-differentiated polarized phenotype under DMSO treatment. Hu7^(hDNTCPh) cells fully supported the entire lifecycle of HBV infection. This cell culture system will be useful for the analysis of host-virus interactions, which should facilitate the discovery of antiviral drugs and vaccines.

Histone Deacetylase 3 Inhibitor Suppresses Hepatitis C Virus Replication by Regulating Apo-A1 and LEAP-1 Expression

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors show clinical promise for the treatment of cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we investigated the effect of HDAC inhibitor treatment on hepatitis C virus (HCV)replication in Huh7 human liver cells and in a mouse model of HCV infection. Viral replication was markedly suppressed by the HDAC3 inhibitor at concentrations below 1 mmol/L, with no cellular toxicity. This was accompanied by upregulation of liver-expressed antimicrobial peptide 1 (LEAP-1) and downregulation of apolipoprotein-A1 (Apo-A1), as determined by microarray and quantitative RT-PCR analyses. Moreover, HDAC3 was found to modulate the binding of CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein a (C/EBPa), hypoxia-inducible factor 1 a (HIF1 a), and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) to the LEAP-1 promoter. HDAC3 inhibitor treatment also blocked HCV replication in a mouse model of HCV infection. These results indicate that epigenetic therapy with HDAC3 inhibitor may be a potential treatment for diseases associated with HCV infection such as HCC.

Identification of serotonin 2A receptor as a novel HCV entry factor by a chemical biology strategy

Hepatitis C virus(HCV)is a leading cause of liver disease worldwide.Although several HCV protease/polymerase inhibitors were recently approved by U.S.FDA,the combination of antivirals targeting multiple processes of HCV lifecycle would optimize anti-HCV therapy and against potential drug-resistanee.Viral entry is an essential target step for antiviral development,but FDA-approved HCV entry inhibitor remains exclusive.Here we identify serotonin 2A receptor(5-HT2aR)is a HCV entry factor amendable to therapeutic intervention by a chemical biology strategy.The silencing of 5-HT2aR and clinically available 5-HT2aR antagonist suppress cell culture-derived HCV(HCVcc)in different liver cells and primary human hepatocytes at late endocytosis process.The mechanism is related to regulate the correct plasma membrane localization of claudin 1(CLDN1).Moreover,phenoxybenzamine(PBZ),an FDAapproved 5-HT2aR antagonist,inhibits all major HCV genotypes in vitro and displays synergy in combination with clinical used anti-HCV drugs.The impact of PBZ on HCV genotype 2a is documented in immune-competent humanized transgenic mice.Our results not only expand the understanding of HCV entry,but also present a promising target for the invention of HCV entry inhibitor.

Host HDAC4 regulates the antiviral response by inhibiting the phosphorylation of IRF3

Class II HDACs, such as HDAC4, are critical regulators of the immune response in various immune cells;however, its role in innate immunity remains largely unknown.Here, we report that the overexpression of HDAC4 suppresses the production of type I interferons triggered by pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs). HDAC4 repressed the translocation of transcription factor IRF3 to the nucleus, thereby decreasing IRF3-mediated IFN-β expression. In particular, we also determined that HDAC4 can be phosphorylated and simultaneously block the phosphorylation of IRF3 at Ser386 and Ser396 by TBK1 and IKKε, respectively, by interacting with the kinase domain of TBK1 and IKKε. Furthermore, IFN-β may stimulate the expression of HDAC4. Our findings suggest that HDAC4 acts as a regulator of PRR signaling and is a novel mechanism of negative feedback regulation for preventing an overreactive innate immune response.

Phosphatidylserine-Specific Phospholipase A1 is the Critical Bridge for Hepatitis C Virus Assembly

The phosphatidylserine-specific phospholipase A1(PLA1A)is an essential host factor in hepatitis C virus(HCV)assembly.In this study,we mapped the E2,NS2 and NS5A involved in PLA1A interaction to their lumenal domains and membranous parts,through which they form oligomeric protein complexes to participate in HCV assembly.Multiple regions of PLA1A were involved in their interaction and complex formation.Furthermore,the results represented structures with PLA1A and E2 in closer proximity than NS2 and NS5A,and strongly suggest PLA1 A-E2,s physical interaction in cells.Meanwhile,we mapped the NS5A sequence which participated in PLA1A interaction with the C-terminus of domain 1.Interestingly,these amino acids in the sequence are also essential for viral RNA replication.Further experiments revealed that these four proteins interact with each other.Moreover,PLA1A expression levels were elevated in livers from HCV-infected patients.In conclusion,we exposed the structural determinants of PLA1A,E2,NS2 and NS5A proteins which were important for HCV assembly and provided a detailed characterization of PLA1A in HCV assembly.

Development of a novel virus-like particle-based vaccine for preventing tick-borne encephalitis virus infection

Tick-borne encephalitis virus(TBEV)is an important tick-borne pathogen that poses as a serious public health concern.The coverage and immunogenicity of the currently available vaccines against TBEV are relatively low;therefore,it is crucial to develop novel and effective vaccines against TBEV.The present study describes a novel strategy for the assembly of virus-like particles(VLPs)by co-expressing the structural(core/prM/E)and non-structural(NS2B/NS3Pro)proteins of TBEV.The efficacy of the VLPs was subsequently evaluated in C57BL/6 mice,and the resultant IgG serum could neutralize both Far-Eastern and European subtypes of TBEV.These findings indicated that the VLP-based vaccine elicited the production of cross-subtype reactive antibodies.The VLPs provided protection to mice lacking the type I interferon receptor(IFNAR^(-/-))against lethal TBEV challenge,with undetectable viral load in brain and intestinal tissues.Furthermore,the group that received the VLP vaccine did not exhibit significant pathological changes and the inflammatory factors were significantly suppressed compared to the control group.Immunization with the VLP vaccine induced the production of multiple-cytokine-producing antiviral CD4+T cells in vivo,including TNF-α^(+),IL-2^(+),and IFN-γ^(+)T cells.Altogether,the findings suggest that noninfectious VLPs can serve as a potentially safe and effective vaccine candidate against diverse subtypes of TBEV.

Histone deacetylase 4 inhibits NF-κB activation by facilitating IκBα sumoylation

Protein modification by small ubiquitin-like modifier(SUMO)is an important regulatory mechanism for multiple cellular pro-cesses.Although the canonical pathway involving the ubiquitylation or phosphorylation of IκBα has been well characterized,little is known about the sumoylation of IkBa in the control of NF-κB activity.Here,we find that histone deacetylase 4(HDAC4)negatively regulates tumor necrosis factor-alpha-or lipopolysaccharide-triggered NF-κB activation.HDAC4 belongs to the SUMO E3 ligase family and can directly sumoylate IκBα.The cytoplasm location of HDAC4 is essential for IκBαsumoylation.The Cys292 of HDAC4 is a key site for its SUMO E3 ligase activity.The sumoylation of IkBc prevents its polyubiquitination and degradation be-cause these two modifications occur both at the Lys21.Our findings reveal a previously undiscovered role for HDAC4 in the inflammatory response as a SUMO E3 ligase for IκBαsumoylation.Our work provides insight into mechanisms ensuring optimal mediation of the NF-κB pathway.