No abstract

Gene alterations in TERT promoter, TP53, CTNNB1, and HBV integration were closely associated with HCC development, and mutations in TERT promoter are related to poor prognosis. These results are useful for understanding the underlying mechanism of hepatocarcinogenesis, diagnosis, and predicting outcomes of patients with HCC.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection blocks cellular interferon (IFN)-mediated antiviral signaling through cleavage of Cardif by HCV-NS3/4A serine protease. Like NS3/4A, NS4B protein strongly blocks IFN-b production signaling mediated by retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I); however, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well understood. Recently, the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) was identified as an activator of RIG-I signaling. STING possesses a structural homology domain with flaviviral NS4B, which suggests a direct protein-protein interaction. In the present study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms by which NS4B targets RIG-I-induced and STING-mediated IFN-b production signaling. IFN-b promoter reporter assay showed that IFN-b promoter activation induced by RIG-I or Cardif was significantly suppressed by both NS4B and NS3/4A, whereas STING-induced IFN-b activation was suppressed by NS4B but not by NS3/4A, suggesting that NS4B had a distinct point of interaction. Immunostaining showed that STING colocalized with NS4B in the endoplasmic reticulum. Immunoprecipitation and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays demonstrated that NS4B specifically bound STING. Intriguingly, NS4B expression blocked the protein interaction between STING and Cardif, which is required for robust IFN-b activation. NS4B truncation assays showed that its N terminus, containing the STING homology domain, was necessary for the suppression of IFN-b promoter activation. NS4B suppressed residual IFN-b activation by an NS3/4A-cleaved Cardif (Cardif1-508), suggesting that NS3/4A and NS4B may cooperate in the blockade of IFN-b production. Conclusion: NS4B suppresses RIG-I-mediated IFN-b production signaling through a direct protein interaction with STING. Disruption of that interaction may restore cellular antiviral responses and may constitute a novel therapeutic strategy for the eradication of HCV. (HEPATOLOGY 2013;57:46-58)

Real-time monitoring of the serum M2BPGi level after antiviral therapy for CHC patients could be a helpful screening tool for assessing the risk of HCC. M2BP and its glycan structure could be associated together with hepatocarcinogenesis.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is not eradicated by current antiviral therapies due to persistence of HBV covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in host cells, and thus development of novel culture models for productive HBV infection is urgently needed, which will allow the study of HBV cccDNA eradication. To meet this need, we developed culture models of HBV infection using human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocyte lineages, including immature proliferating hepatic progenitor-like cell lines (iPS-HPCs) and differentiated hepatocyte-like cells (iPS-Heps). These cells were susceptible to HBV infection, produced HBV particles, and maintained innate immune responses. The infection efficiency of HBV in iPS-HPCs predominantly depended on the expression levels of sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP), and was low relative to iPS-Heps: however, long-term culture of iPS-Heps was difficult. To provide a model for HBV persistence, iPS-HPCs overexpressing NTCP were established. The long-term persistence of HBV cccDNA was detected in iPS-HPCs overexpressing NTCP, and depended on the inhibition of the Janus-kinase signaling pathway. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that iPS-derived hepatic cell lines can be utilized for novel HBV culture models with genetic variation to investigate the interactions between HBV and host cells and the development of anti-HBV strategies.

Innate immunity plays an important role in host antiviral response to hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection. Recently, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IL28B and host response to peginterferon a (PEG-IFNa) and ribavirin (RBV) were shown to be strongly associated. We aimed to determine the gene expression involving innate immunity in IL28B genotypes and elucidate its relation to response to antiviral treatment. We genotyped IL28B SNPs (rs8099917 and rs12979860) in 88 chronic hepatitis C patients treated with PEG-IFNa-2b/RBV and quantified expressions of viral sensors (RIG-I, MDA5, and LGP2), adaptor molecule (IPS-1), related ubiquitin E3-ligase (RNF125), modulators (ISG15 and USP18), and IL28 (IFNk). Both IL28B SNPs were 100% identical; 54 patients possessed rs8099917 TT/rs12979860 CC (IL28B major patients) and 34 possessed rs8099917 TG/rs12979860 CT (IL28B minor patients). Hepatic expressions of viral sensors and modulators in IL28B minor patients were significantly up-regulated compared with that in IL28B major patients (%3.3-fold, P < 0.001). However, expression of IPS-1 was significantly lower in IL28B minor patients (1.2-fold, P 5 0.028). Expressions of viral sensors and modulators were significantly higher in nonvirological responders (NVR) than that in others despite stratification by IL28B genotype (%2.6-fold, P < 0.001). Multivariate and ROC analyses indicated that higher RIG-I and ISG15 expressions and RIG-I/IPS-1 expression ratio were independent factors for NVR. IPS-1 down-regulation in IL28B minor patients was confirmed by western blotting, and the extent of IPS-1 protein cleavage was associated with the variable treatment response. Conclusion: Gene expression involving innate immunity is strongly associated with IL28B genotype and response to PEG-IFNa/ RBV. Both IL28B minor allele and higher RIG-I and ISG15 expressions and RIG-I/IPS-1 ratio are independent factors for NVR. (HEPATOLOGY 2012;55:20-29)

Substitution of amino acids 70 and 91 in the hepatitis C virus (HCV) core region is a significant predictor of poor responses to peginterferon-plus-ribavirin therapy, while their molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here we investigated these differences in the response to alpha interferon (IFN) by using HCV cell culture with R70Q, R70H, and L91M substitutions. IFN treatment of cells transfected or infected with the wild type or the mutant HCV clones showed that the R70Q, R70H, and L91M core mutants were significantly more resistant than the wild type. Among HCV-transfected cells, intracellular HCV RNA levels were significantly higher for the core mutants than for the wild type, while HCV RNA in culture supernatant was significantly lower for these mutants than for the wild type. IFN-induced phosphorylation of STAT1 and STAT2 and expression of the interferon-inducible genes were significantly lower for the core mutants than for the wild type, suggesting cellular unresponsiveness to IFN. The expression level of an interferon signal attenuator, SOCS3, was significantly higher for the R70Q, R70H, and L91M mutants than for the wild type. Interleukin 6 (IL-6), which upregulates SOCS3, was significantly higher for the R70Q, R70H, and L91M mutants than for the wild type, suggesting interferon resistance, possibly through IL-6-induced, SOCS3-mediated suppression of interferon signaling. Expression levels of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress proteins were significantly higher in cells transfected with a core mutant than in those transfected with the wild type. In conclusion, HCV R70 and L91 core mutants were resistant to interferon in vitro, and the resistance may be induced by IL-6-induced upregulation of SOCS3. Those mechanisms may explain clinical interferon resistance of HCV core mutants.Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the most important pathogens causing liver-related morbidity and mortality. Approximately 3% of the worldwide population is infected with HCV, which represents 170 million people, and 3 million to 4 million individuals are newly infected each year (33,47,62). There is no therapeutic or prophylactic vaccine available for HCV. Antiviral treatment has been shown to improve liver histology and decrease the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) (17, 64). Current therapies for CHC consist of treatment with pegylated interferon (peg-IFN), which acts both as an antiviral and as an immunoregulatory cytokine, and ribavirin (RBV), an antiviral prodrug that interferes with RNA metabolism (16, 31). However, less than 50% of patients infected with HCV genotype 1 treated in this way achieve a sustained virological response (SVR) or a cure of the infection (14, 16). Given this situations, gaining a detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms of interferon (IFN) resistance has been a high priority in academia and industry.The response to peg-IFN-plus-RBV treatment is affected by several viral and host factors, including age, gender (22, 23), grade of liver fibrosis (21, 42), HCV ge...

Cases of focal necrotic pancreatitis and gizzard erosion in chickens are reported. Intranuclear inclusion bodies were seen in necrotic pancreatic acinar cells and necrotic epithelial cells of the gizzard, and electron microscopy demonstrated virus particles in affected gizzard epithelium. Adenovirus antigens were detected immunohistochemically in these intranuclear inclusion bodies. These findings suggest that the necrotizing pancreatitis and gizzard erosion were associated with adenovirus infection.