HBV life cycle and novel drug targets

Abstract

With up to 400 million affected people worldwide, chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is still a major health care problem. During the last decade, several novel therapeutic approaches have been developed and evaluated. In most regions of the world, interferon-α, and nucleos(t)ide analogues (NUCs) are currently approved. Despite major improvements, none of the existing therapies is optimal since viral clearance is rarely achieved. Recently, a better understanding of the HBV life cycle and the development of novel model systems of HBV infection have led to the development of novel antiviral strategies and drug targets. This review will focus on current and potential future drug targets in the HBV life cycle and strategies to modulate the virus-host interaction.

Hepatitis B Virus_Surface Gene Mutations and Their Clinical Implications

“…The pgRNA is used as a template for reverse transcription, translation of HBcAg and HBV Pol [19]. In the cytoplasm the pgRNA is undergo reverse transcription to a nucleocapsid contain DNA which is enveloped to be secreted as progeny virion through the endoplasmic reticulum [20].…”

Tratamiento actual y nuevas terapias contra la infección crónica por el virus de la Hepatitis B

“…En estudios in vitro ha mostrado que aumenta la producción y maduración de los linfocitos T, estimulando la producción de citoquinas Th1 como el IFN-Y y la interleucina tipo 2 (IL-2). También ha mostrado capacidad para activar las células NK y su actividad citotóxica (45).…”

Current and future antiviral drug therapies of hepatitis B chronic infection

“…Treatment with lamivudine combined with IFNg and tumor necrosis factor-α was shown to induce a stronger inhibition of cccDNA and in the efficient suppression of viral replication without the development of cytotoxicity [101] . Thymosin alpha 1 (Ta1) is a synthetic polypeptide that has immunomodulating activity and has been shown to promote T cell activity, IFNg and IL12 production as well as NK-induced cytotoxicity [102] . Treatment with Ta1 has been demonstrated to reduce significantly viral replication in chronic patients and woodchuck animals [103,104] .…”