To develop a fluorescent quantitative PCR assay based on Taq-Man chemistry to detect the covalenfly closed circular DNA （eccDNA） of duck hepatitis B virus （DHBV）, a pair of primers was designed from both sides of ...To develop a fluorescent quantitative PCR assay based on Taq-Man chemistry to detect the covalenfly closed circular DNA （eccDNA） of duck hepatitis B virus （DHBV）, a pair of primers was designed from both sides of the nick in the minus strand of DHBV and a Taq-Man probes between the primers, modified with 6-Fam at 5＇ end and Tamra at its 3＇ end was designed to detect the PCR products during PCR cycles. The DHBV DNA fragment was cloned into vector PUCm-T, and the recombinant plasmid was purified and subsequently qualified as the HBV DNA standard. The experimental conditions and reagents used in PCR assay for amplification were sophisticatedly optimized in order to yield a perfect amplification efficacy and reduce the possibility to produce non-specific amplification. It was demonstrated that the detect limit of assay was 10^3 copies/ml, and a linear standard curve was obtained between 10^5 -10^9 copies/ml [ C1 =-2.8361 ln（x） ＋ 41.45, r =-0.9985]. The coefficient of variation was 0.2%-3.14% and 2.22%-4.43% for intra- and inter-assay respectively. After a dynamic survey on the contents of DHBV DNA in serum of ducks, it was found that its peak value appeared at the second week of birth in ducks. It is evident that this method of Taq-Man fluorescent quantitative PCR assay appears to be simple, sensitive and specific.展开更多
AIM： To evaluate the effects of antiviral agents and HBV genotypes on intrahepatic covalently closed circular DNA （ccc DNA） in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients.METHODS： Seventy-one patients received lam...AIM： To evaluate the effects of antiviral agents and HBV genotypes on intrahepatic covalently closed circular DNA （ccc DNA） in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients.METHODS： Seventy-one patients received lamivudine （n = 35）, or sequential therapy with lamivudine- interferon alpha 2b （IFN-α 2b, n = 24） for 48 wk, or IFN-α 2b （n = 12） for 24 wk. All subjects were followed up for 24 wk. Intrahepatic ccc DNA was measured quantitatively by PCR. HBV genotypes were analyzed by PCR-RFLP.RESULTS： Sequential lamivudine- INF-α therapy, lamivudine and INF-α monotherapy reduced ccc DNA of 1.7 log, 1.4 log and 0.8 log, respectively （P 〈 0.05）. Seventeen out of the 71 patieots developed HBeAg seroconversion, the reduction of ccc DNA in the HBeAg seroconversion patients was more significant than that in the HBeAg positive patients （3.0 log vs 1.6 log, P = 0.0407）. Twenty-four weeks after antiviral therapy withdrawal, 16 patients had a sustained virological response, the baseline intrahepatic ccc DNA in the patients with a sustained virological response was significantly lower than that in the patients with virological rebound （4.6 log vs 5.4 log, P = 0.0472）. HBV genotype C accounted for 85.9% （n = 61）, and genotype B for 14.1% （n = 10）, respectively, in the 71 patients. There was no significant difference in the change of ccc DNA level between HBV genotypes C and B （2.1 log vs 1.9 log）.CONCLUSION： Forty-eight week sequential lamivudine- INF-α therapy and lamivudine monotherapy reduce ccc DNA more significantly than 24-wk INF-α monotherapy. Low baseline intrahepatic ccc DNA level may predict the long-term efficacy of antiviral treatment. HBV genotypes C and B have no obvious influence on ccc DNA load.展开更多
250 million people worldwide continue to be chronically infected with the virus.While patients may be treated with nucleoside/nucleotide analogues,this only suppresses HBV titre to sub-detection levels without elimina...250 million people worldwide continue to be chronically infected with the virus.While patients may be treated with nucleoside/nucleotide analogues,this only suppresses HBV titre to sub-detection levels without eliminating the persistent HBV covalently closed circular DNA(cccDNA)genome.As a result,HBV infection cannot be cured,and the virus reactivates when conditions are favorable.Interferons(IFNs)are cytokines known to induce powerful antiviral mechanisms that clear viruses from infected cells.They have been shown to induce cccDNA clearance,but their use in the treatment of HBV infection is limited as HBVtargeting immune cells are exhausted and HBV has evolved multiple mechanisms to evade and suppress IFN signalling.Thus,to fully utilize IFN-mediated intracellular mechanisms to effectively eliminate HBV,instead of direct IFN administration,novel strategies to sustain IFN-mediated anti-cccDNA and antiviral mechanisms need to be developed.This review will consolidate what is known about how IFNs act to achieve its intracellular antiviral effects and highlight the critical interferon-stimulated gene targets and effector mechanisms with potent anti-cccDNA functions.These include cccDNA degradation by APOBECs and cccDNA silencing and transcription repression by epigenetic modifications.In addition,the mechanisms that HBV employs to disrupt IFN signalling will be discussed.Drugs that have been developed or are in the pipeline for components of the IFN signalling pathway and HBV targets that detract IFN signalling mechanisms will also be identified and discussed for utility in the treatment of HBV infections.Together,these will provide useful insights into design strategies that specifically target cccDNA for the eradication of HBV.展开更多
Hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection is a major global health problem. Although current therapies, such as the use of nucleos(t)ide analogs, inhibit HBV replication efficiently, they do not eliminate covalently closed cir...Hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection is a major global health problem. Although current therapies, such as the use of nucleos(t)ide analogs, inhibit HBV replication efficiently, they do not eliminate covalently closed circular DNA(ccc DNA), which persists in hepatocyte nuclei. As HBV ccc DNA is a viral transcription template, novel therapeutic approaches to directly target HBV ccc DNA are necessary to completely eradicate persistent HBV infections. HBV ccc DNA levels in HBV-infected human liver cells are extremely low; thus, more reliable and simple measurement methods are needed to correctly monitor their levels during therapeutic treatment. Although reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction or Southern blot procedures are currently used in research studies, these methods are not completely reliable and are also time-consuming and labor-intensive. Genome editing technologies, such as zinc finger nucleases, transcription activator-like effector nucleases, and the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/Cas9(CRISPR/Cas9) system, which are designed to target specific DNA sequences, represent highly promising potential therapeutic tools. In particular, the CRISPR/Cas9 system is an easily customizable sequencespecific nuclease with high flexibility and may be the most feasible approach to target HBV ccc DNA. Further research to develop easier, safer, and more effective protocols should be pursued.展开更多
Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus(HBV)remains a major global health problem,especially in developing countries.It may lead to prolonged liver damage,fibrosis,cirrhosis,and hepatocellular carcinoma.Persistent ch...Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus(HBV)remains a major global health problem,especially in developing countries.It may lead to prolonged liver damage,fibrosis,cirrhosis,and hepatocellular carcinoma.Persistent chronic HBV infection is related to host immune response and the stability of the covalently closed circular DNA(cccDNA)in human hepatocytes.In addition to being essential for viral transcription and replication,cccDNA is also suspected to play a role in persistent HBV infections or hepatitis relapses since cccDNA is very stable in non-dividing human hepatocytes.Understanding the pathogenicity and oncogenicity of HBV components would be essential in the development of new diagnostic tools and treatment strategies.This review summarizes the role and molecular mechanisms of HBV cccDNA in hepatocyte transformation and hepatocarcinogenesis and current efforts to its detection and targeting.展开更多
目的探讨丙型肝炎病毒NS5A反式调节蛋白9(hepatitis C virus NS5Atransactivated protein 9,NS5ATP9)在乙型肝炎病毒(hepatitis B virus,HBV)共价闭合环状DNA(covalently closed circular DNA,cccDNA)形成与转录中的作用机制。方法利用...目的探讨丙型肝炎病毒NS5A反式调节蛋白9(hepatitis C virus NS5Atransactivated protein 9,NS5ATP9)在乙型肝炎病毒(hepatitis B virus,HBV)共价闭合环状DNA(covalently closed circular DNA,cccDNA)形成与转录中的作用机制。方法利用1.3拷贝HBV表达质粒转染Huh7和HepG2细胞、整合有4拷贝HBV基因组的HepG2.2.15细胞、在诱导型四环素启动子控制下表达HBV的HepAD38细胞构建NS5ATP9过表达或干扰的HBV细胞模型,收集样品和细胞上清液,提取RNA、HBV核心DNA(coreDNA)、cccDNA和蛋白,利用酶联免疫吸附试验、实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应(polymerase chain reaction,PCR)、Southern blot和Western blot技术检测HBV总RNA、前基因组RNA(pregenomic RNA,pgRNA)、乙型肝炎病毒s抗原(hepatitis B virus s antigene,HBsAg)、乙型肝炎病毒e抗原(hepatitis B virus e antigene,HBeAg)、松弛环状DNA(relax circular DNA,rcDNA)以及cccDNA水平。在HepG2细胞中转染乙型肝炎病毒x蛋白(hepatitis B virus x protein,HBx),通过免疫荧光成像及免疫共沉淀方法检测NS5ATP9与HBx的结合情况。双荧光素酶报告基因实验检测NS5ATP9对HBx启动子活性的影响。利用Huh7细胞转染HBV1.3及HBV稳定表达细胞株HepG2.2.15和HepAD38转染NS5ATP9过表达/干扰质粒,通过Western blot技术检测DDB1和SMC6的蛋白水平。结果在HBV病毒活跃的细胞中,NS5ATP9 mRNA水平[HepG2.2.15细胞:1.891±0.567比1.00±0.034,t=2.87,P=0.0351;HepAD38 tet+细胞:1.978±0.399比1.00±0.034,t=4.131,P=0.0091;HepAD38 tet-细胞:2.642±0.672比1.00±0.034,t=4.127,P=0.0091]和蛋白水平均显著增加。过表达NS5ATP9后可显著增加HBeAg[(5.402±0.327)S/COV比(2.68±0.552)S/COV,t=7.35,P=0.0018]、HBsAg[(2.846±0.185)S/COV比(1.512±0.221)S/COV,t=8.02,P=0.0013]、HBV pgRNA及rcDNA的表达水平,而干扰NS5ATP9后此增加作用消失[HBeAg:(2.029±0.09)S/COV比(3.733±0.445)S/COV,t=6.501,P=0.0029;HBsAg:(1.501±0.105)S/COV比(1.878±0.174)S/COV,t=3.216,P=0.0324)]。机制研究显示,NS5ATP9和HBx蛋白主要位于细胞核核仁内,并具有共定位信号,且NS5ATP9可显著提高HBx启动子(1071.06±79.44比488.47±40.12,t=13.09,P=0.00012)的转录活性。另外,过表达NS5ATP9可显著降低DDB1和SMC6的蛋白水平,而沉默NS5ATP9则可显著提高DDB1和SMC6的蛋白水平。结论HBV上调NS5ATP9的表达,形成HBV-NS5ATP9-HBV cccDNA-HBV的正反馈环路,NS5ATP9通过与HBx相互作用上调肝细胞中HBV cccDNA的形成与转录,进而促进慢性乙型肝炎的发生发展。展开更多
文摘To develop a fluorescent quantitative PCR assay based on Taq-Man chemistry to detect the covalenfly closed circular DNA （eccDNA） of duck hepatitis B virus （DHBV）, a pair of primers was designed from both sides of the nick in the minus strand of DHBV and a Taq-Man probes between the primers, modified with 6-Fam at 5＇ end and Tamra at its 3＇ end was designed to detect the PCR products during PCR cycles. The DHBV DNA fragment was cloned into vector PUCm-T, and the recombinant plasmid was purified and subsequently qualified as the HBV DNA standard. The experimental conditions and reagents used in PCR assay for amplification were sophisticatedly optimized in order to yield a perfect amplification efficacy and reduce the possibility to produce non-specific amplification. It was demonstrated that the detect limit of assay was 10^3 copies/ml, and a linear standard curve was obtained between 10^5 -10^9 copies/ml [ C1 =-2.8361 ln（x） ＋ 41.45, r =-0.9985]. The coefficient of variation was 0.2%-3.14% and 2.22%-4.43% for intra- and inter-assay respectively. After a dynamic survey on the contents of DHBV DNA in serum of ducks, it was found that its peak value appeared at the second week of birth in ducks. It is evident that this method of Taq-Man fluorescent quantitative PCR assay appears to be simple, sensitive and specific.
基金Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission, No. H020920020690
文摘AIM： To evaluate the effects of antiviral agents and HBV genotypes on intrahepatic covalently closed circular DNA （ccc DNA） in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients.METHODS： Seventy-one patients received lamivudine （n = 35）, or sequential therapy with lamivudine- interferon alpha 2b （IFN-α 2b, n = 24） for 48 wk, or IFN-α 2b （n = 12） for 24 wk. All subjects were followed up for 24 wk. Intrahepatic ccc DNA was measured quantitatively by PCR. HBV genotypes were analyzed by PCR-RFLP.RESULTS： Sequential lamivudine- INF-α therapy, lamivudine and INF-α monotherapy reduced ccc DNA of 1.7 log, 1.4 log and 0.8 log, respectively （P 〈 0.05）. Seventeen out of the 71 patieots developed HBeAg seroconversion, the reduction of ccc DNA in the HBeAg seroconversion patients was more significant than that in the HBeAg positive patients （3.0 log vs 1.6 log, P = 0.0407）. Twenty-four weeks after antiviral therapy withdrawal, 16 patients had a sustained virological response, the baseline intrahepatic ccc DNA in the patients with a sustained virological response was significantly lower than that in the patients with virological rebound （4.6 log vs 5.4 log, P = 0.0472）. HBV genotype C accounted for 85.9% （n = 61）, and genotype B for 14.1% （n = 10）, respectively, in the 71 patients. There was no significant difference in the change of ccc DNA level between HBV genotypes C and B （2.1 log vs 1.9 log）.CONCLUSION： Forty-eight week sequential lamivudine- INF-α therapy and lamivudine monotherapy reduce ccc DNA more significantly than 24-wk INF-α monotherapy. Low baseline intrahepatic ccc DNA level may predict the long-term efficacy of antiviral treatment. HBV genotypes C and B have no obvious influence on ccc DNA load.
文摘250 million people worldwide continue to be chronically infected with the virus.While patients may be treated with nucleoside/nucleotide analogues,this only suppresses HBV titre to sub-detection levels without eliminating the persistent HBV covalently closed circular DNA(cccDNA)genome.As a result,HBV infection cannot be cured,and the virus reactivates when conditions are favorable.Interferons(IFNs)are cytokines known to induce powerful antiviral mechanisms that clear viruses from infected cells.They have been shown to induce cccDNA clearance,but their use in the treatment of HBV infection is limited as HBVtargeting immune cells are exhausted and HBV has evolved multiple mechanisms to evade and suppress IFN signalling.Thus,to fully utilize IFN-mediated intracellular mechanisms to effectively eliminate HBV,instead of direct IFN administration,novel strategies to sustain IFN-mediated anti-cccDNA and antiviral mechanisms need to be developed.This review will consolidate what is known about how IFNs act to achieve its intracellular antiviral effects and highlight the critical interferon-stimulated gene targets and effector mechanisms with potent anti-cccDNA functions.These include cccDNA degradation by APOBECs and cccDNA silencing and transcription repression by epigenetic modifications.In addition,the mechanisms that HBV employs to disrupt IFN signalling will be discussed.Drugs that have been developed or are in the pipeline for components of the IFN signalling pathway and HBV targets that detract IFN signalling mechanisms will also be identified and discussed for utility in the treatment of HBV infections.Together,these will provide useful insights into design strategies that specifically target cccDNA for the eradication of HBV.
文摘Hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection is a major global health problem. Although current therapies, such as the use of nucleos(t)ide analogs, inhibit HBV replication efficiently, they do not eliminate covalently closed circular DNA(ccc DNA), which persists in hepatocyte nuclei. As HBV ccc DNA is a viral transcription template, novel therapeutic approaches to directly target HBV ccc DNA are necessary to completely eradicate persistent HBV infections. HBV ccc DNA levels in HBV-infected human liver cells are extremely low; thus, more reliable and simple measurement methods are needed to correctly monitor their levels during therapeutic treatment. Although reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction or Southern blot procedures are currently used in research studies, these methods are not completely reliable and are also time-consuming and labor-intensive. Genome editing technologies, such as zinc finger nucleases, transcription activator-like effector nucleases, and the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/Cas9(CRISPR/Cas9) system, which are designed to target specific DNA sequences, represent highly promising potential therapeutic tools. In particular, the CRISPR/Cas9 system is an easily customizable sequencespecific nuclease with high flexibility and may be the most feasible approach to target HBV ccc DNA. Further research to develop easier, safer, and more effective protocols should be pursued.
基金Supported by International Cooperation 2021 with Indonesia from the Regione of Friuli Venezia Giulia(Prot.0015911/P)to the FIF.
文摘Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus(HBV)remains a major global health problem,especially in developing countries.It may lead to prolonged liver damage,fibrosis,cirrhosis,and hepatocellular carcinoma.Persistent chronic HBV infection is related to host immune response and the stability of the covalently closed circular DNA(cccDNA)in human hepatocytes.In addition to being essential for viral transcription and replication,cccDNA is also suspected to play a role in persistent HBV infections or hepatitis relapses since cccDNA is very stable in non-dividing human hepatocytes.Understanding the pathogenicity and oncogenicity of HBV components would be essential in the development of new diagnostic tools and treatment strategies.This review summarizes the role and molecular mechanisms of HBV cccDNA in hepatocyte transformation and hepatocarcinogenesis and current efforts to its detection and targeting.
文摘目的探讨丙型肝炎病毒NS5A反式调节蛋白9(hepatitis C virus NS5Atransactivated protein 9,NS5ATP9)在乙型肝炎病毒(hepatitis B virus,HBV)共价闭合环状DNA(covalently closed circular DNA,cccDNA)形成与转录中的作用机制。方法利用1.3拷贝HBV表达质粒转染Huh7和HepG2细胞、整合有4拷贝HBV基因组的HepG2.2.15细胞、在诱导型四环素启动子控制下表达HBV的HepAD38细胞构建NS5ATP9过表达或干扰的HBV细胞模型,收集样品和细胞上清液,提取RNA、HBV核心DNA(coreDNA)、cccDNA和蛋白,利用酶联免疫吸附试验、实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应(polymerase chain reaction,PCR)、Southern blot和Western blot技术检测HBV总RNA、前基因组RNA(pregenomic RNA,pgRNA)、乙型肝炎病毒s抗原(hepatitis B virus s antigene,HBsAg)、乙型肝炎病毒e抗原(hepatitis B virus e antigene,HBeAg)、松弛环状DNA(relax circular DNA,rcDNA)以及cccDNA水平。在HepG2细胞中转染乙型肝炎病毒x蛋白(hepatitis B virus x protein,HBx),通过免疫荧光成像及免疫共沉淀方法检测NS5ATP9与HBx的结合情况。双荧光素酶报告基因实验检测NS5ATP9对HBx启动子活性的影响。利用Huh7细胞转染HBV1.3及HBV稳定表达细胞株HepG2.2.15和HepAD38转染NS5ATP9过表达/干扰质粒,通过Western blot技术检测DDB1和SMC6的蛋白水平。结果在HBV病毒活跃的细胞中,NS5ATP9 mRNA水平[HepG2.2.15细胞:1.891±0.567比1.00±0.034,t=2.87,P=0.0351;HepAD38 tet+细胞:1.978±0.399比1.00±0.034,t=4.131,P=0.0091;HepAD38 tet-细胞:2.642±0.672比1.00±0.034,t=4.127,P=0.0091]和蛋白水平均显著增加。过表达NS5ATP9后可显著增加HBeAg[(5.402±0.327)S/COV比(2.68±0.552)S/COV,t=7.35,P=0.0018]、HBsAg[(2.846±0.185)S/COV比(1.512±0.221)S/COV,t=8.02,P=0.0013]、HBV pgRNA及rcDNA的表达水平,而干扰NS5ATP9后此增加作用消失[HBeAg:(2.029±0.09)S/COV比(3.733±0.445)S/COV,t=6.501,P=0.0029;HBsAg:(1.501±0.105)S/COV比(1.878±0.174)S/COV,t=3.216,P=0.0324)]。机制研究显示,NS5ATP9和HBx蛋白主要位于细胞核核仁内,并具有共定位信号,且NS5ATP9可显著提高HBx启动子(1071.06±79.44比488.47±40.12,t=13.09,P=0.00012)的转录活性。另外,过表达NS5ATP9可显著降低DDB1和SMC6的蛋白水平,而沉默NS5ATP9则可显著提高DDB1和SMC6的蛋白水平。结论HBV上调NS5ATP9的表达,形成HBV-NS5ATP9-HBV cccDNA-HBV的正反馈环路,NS5ATP9通过与HBx相互作用上调肝细胞中HBV cccDNA的形成与转录,进而促进慢性乙型肝炎的发生发展。
