Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) caused by HBV infection has brought suffering to numerous people. Due to the stable existence of HBV cccDNA, the original template for HBV replication, chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is difficult to cure completely. Despite current antiviral strategies being able to effectively limit the progression of CHB, complete CHB cure requires directly targeting HBV cccDNA. In this review, we discuss strategies that may achieve a complete cure of CHB, including inhibition of cccDNA de novo synthesis, targeting cccDNA degradation through host factors and small molecules, CRISP-Cas9-based cccDNA editing, and silencing cccDNA epigenetically.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13121100 | DOI Listing |
Viruses
December 2024
Department of Medicine & State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Full-length hepatitis B virus (HBV) transcripts of chimpanzees and patients treated with multidose (MD) HBV siRNA ARC-520 and entecavir (ETV) were characterized by single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing, identifying multiple types of transcripts with the potential to encode HBx, HBsAg, HBeAg, core, and polymerase, as well as transcripts likely to be derived from dimers of dslDNA, and these differed between HBeAg-positive (HBeAg+) and HBeAg-negative (HBeAg-) individuals. HBV transcripts from the last follow-up ~30 months post-ARC-520 treatment were categorized from one HBeAg+ (one of two previously highly viremic patients that became HBeAg- upon treatment and had greatly reduced cccDNA products) and four HBeAg- patients. The previously HBeAg+ patient received a biopsy that revealed that he had 3.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFViruses
December 2024
The Catholic University Liver Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) can cause chronic infections, significantly increasing the risk of death from cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A key player in chronic HBV infection is covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), a stable episomal form of viral DNA that acts as a persistent reservoir in infected hepatocytes and drives continuous viral replication. Despite the development of several animal models, few adequately replicate cccDNA formation and maintenance, limiting our understanding of its dynamics and the evaluation of potential therapeutic interventions targeting cccDNA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPathogens
December 2024
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu, China.
Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) caused by HBV infection has brought suffering to numerous people. Due to the stable existence of HBV cccDNA, the original template for HBV replication, chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is difficult to cure completely. Despite current antiviral strategies being able to effectively limit the progression of CHB, complete CHB cure requires directly targeting HBV cccDNA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGenes (Basel)
December 2024
State Key Lab of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (SKLPB), College of Life Sciences in Nanjing University (Xianlin Campus), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210046, China.
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a type of malignant tumor with high morbidity and mortality. Untimely treatment and high recurrence are currently the major challenges for HCC. The identification of potential targets of HCC progression is crucial for the development of new therapeutic strategies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Infect Dis
January 2025
Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, Virus and Cellular Stress Unit, Department of Virology, Paris, France.
Background: Restriction factors are host cell proteins that play a role in limiting virus replication. They form part of the intrinsic immune system and function as a first line of defense against viral infections. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) does not escape this rule and TREX1, a host restriction enzyme acts as an antiviral factor, leading to the inhibition of the virus.
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