Insulin Dominantly Suppresses Hepatitis B Virus Gene Expression in Cultured Human Hepatoma Cells

We have shown previously that insulin suppresses the expression of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) gene from an endogenous integrated viral genome in cultured human hepatoma Hep3B cells. In this study, we demonstrated that insulin suppresses the viral mRNA transcribed from transiently transfected tandem repeat hepatitis B virus (HBV) dimer DNA or DNA fragment that contains only the major HBsAg gene. Insulin treatment also resulted in a decrease in HBV viral particles produced by the HBV-DNA-transfected cells in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, when insulin was simultaneously added with glucocorticoid, which stimulates HBV gene expression, the stimulatory effect of glucocorticoid was completely abolished. Our results suggest that insulin has a dominant negative effect on the HBV gene expression in cultured human liver cells.     

Restriction endonuclease mapping of the hepatitis B viral genome isolated from Taiwan

The Eco RI fragment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA isolated from human blood plasma Dane particles were inserted into plasmid pUC8 Eco RI site and transformed into E. coli JM103 host. Two recombinants pTWL1 and pTWL2 were found to carry 3.2 kbp fragment and proved to have HBV genome by Southern hybridization method. The 1.4 kbp Bam HI fragment which carried the hepatitis B viral surface antigen (HBsAg) gene, obtained via Bam HI digestion of Dane particles DNA which was made fully double stranded by endogenous DNA polymerase reaction, was also inserted into plasmid pUC8 Bam HI site. Four recombinant clones, pTWS1, pTWS2, pTWS3, and pTWS4 were found. Only one of the clones pTWS1 carried the HBsAg gene in a correct orientation with respect to the lac promoter sequence. The physical mapping of HBV DNA was performed with several restriction endonucleases. Our results indicated that the HBV DNA insert contains unique XbaI and HpaI cleavage sites and lacks the cleavage sites for the HindIII, SmaI, KpnI, SalI, and SstI endonucleases. The locations of Bam HI, BglII, and HincII endonucleases cleavage sites within the cloned HBV DNA of the pTWL1 plasmid were similar to that HBV DNA of adw and adw2 subtypes.     

从乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原阳性母亲流产的胎儿查出乙型肝炎病毒标志

应用Southern blot杂交试验检测HBsAg及HBeAg均阳性母亲流产的9例胎儿肝细胞中HBV DNA的存在状态,并与其HBV血清学、免疫电镜及肝脏免疫组织化学的结果相比较。结果在3例胎肝高分子DNA中检出了整合的HBV DNA顺序,且此3例HBV DNA整合到胎肝细胞基因组并无特定部位,提示为随机整合。3例中2例的血清及肝匀浆都检出HBsAg颗粒,其胎肝细胞胞浆HBsAg也阳性;另1例受HBV感染的唯一标志是在胎肝细胞中存在着整合的HBVDNA。此外,另1例则仅胎肝细胞中HBsAg阳性而无整合的HBV DNA。在胎肝细胞中检出整合的HBV DNA进一步证实HBV子宫内传播途径的存在。     

Expression of the hepatitis B virus surface,core and E antigen genes by stable rat and mouse cell lines

A recombinant plasmid containing four tandem head-to-tail copies of the HBV⁴ genome has been constructed and introduced into thymidine kinase-deficient mouse and rat fibroblast cells by co-transformation with the thymidine kinase gene from Herpes simplex virus as a selectable marker. Several mouse cell lines that synthesize HBsAg and four lines (three mouse and one rat) that synthesize both HBsAg and HBeAg were isolated. The rat line and at least one of the L cell lines that synthesizes HBeAg also produce small quantities of HBcAg. The rat line has many partial and 18 to 20 complete copies of the HBV genome integrated into high molecular weight DNA, whereas the L cells that produce HBeAg have only two to three complete copies of HBV genome. The kinetics of synthesis of HBsAg and HBeAg by the rat line are similar to that for HBsAg synthesis by two human hepatoma lines, and the HBsAg secreted by this line has similar biophysical characteristics to that found in human serum. The results suggest that the configuration of the recombinant molecule used may be an important prerequisite for the expression of HBcAg and HBeAg, and we speculate that the biogenesis of their messenger RNA may proceed via a precursor that is greater than the length of the HBV genome.     

Structural analysis of a hepatitis B virus genome integrated into chromosome 17p of a human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is clearly a factor in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma, but its mechanism of action remains obscure. One possibility is that the HBV integration event alters the expression of a nearby growth-regulatory cellular gene. A 9-kilobase (kb) DNA fragment containing an HBV insert plus flanking cellular sequences was cloned from a hepatoma specimen from Shanghai, People's Republic of China. Restriction mapping of the insert revealed a large inverted repeat structure consisting of both viral sequences (encompassing all of the core and pre-S regions and portions of the X and S genes) and at least 3 kb of unique cellular sequences. The virus-cell junction mapped 11 nucleotides from the DR1 region, in a position within the HBV X gene and included in the cohesive overlap region. A probe generated from 1.0 kb of the flanking cellular DNA mapped the viral insert to chromosome 17 in the region designated 17p11.2-17p12, which is near the human proto-oncogene p53. Sequence data from a portion of the flanking cellular DNA revealed a stretch of approximately 70 base pairs that showed highly significant homology with a conserved region of a number of functional mammalian DNAs, including the human autonomously replicating sequence 1 (ARS1).     

Integration site of polyoma virus DNA in the inducible LPT line of polyoma-transformed rat cells

The structure of the polyoma virus (Py) integration site in the inducible LPT line of Py-transformed rat cells was determined by biochemical methods of gene mapping. LPT cell DNA was digested with various restriction enzymes. The digestion products were electrophoresed in agarose gels and transferred onto nitrocellulose sheets by Southern blotting. Fragments containing viral or cell DNA sequences, or both, were identified by hybridization with Py DNA or with a cloned flanking cell DNA probe. Cleavage of LPT DNA with enzymes that restrict the Py genome once generated linear Py DNA molecules and two fragments containing both cell and viral DNA sequences. Cleavage of LPT DNA with enzymes which do not restrict Py DNA generated series of fragments whose lengths were found to differ by increments of a whole Py genome; the smallest fragment in each series was found to be longer than the viral genome. These data indicate that LPT cultures contain Py insertions of various lengths integrated into the same chromosomal site in all the cells. The length heterogeneity of the viral insertions is due to the presence of 0, 1, 2, 3. . . Py genomes arranged in a direct tandem repeat within invariable sequences of viral DNA. Double-digestion experiments were also carried out with the above enzymes and with enzymes that cleave the Py genome at multiple sites. The data obtained in these experiments were used to construct a physical map of the integration site. This map showed that the early region of the virus remained intact even in the smallest insertion (which contains no whole duplicated genomes), whereas the late region was partially duplicated and split during integration. The smallest insertion is colinear with the Py physical map over a region including the entire Py genome and at least a part of the duplicated segment. This structure could give rise to nondefective circular viral DNA molecules by single homologous recombination events. Similar recombination events may occur at a higher frequency in the longer insertions, which include longer regions of homology, and may yield many more free viral genomes. The presence of these insertions in LPT cells could thus be one of the factors which account for the high inducibility of the LPT line.     

Production of hepatitis B virus by a differentiated human hepatoma cell line after transfection with cloned circular HBV DNA

Closed-circular HBV DNA was introduced into cells of the established human hepatoma culture HepG2. The culture medium of one of 40 single-cell clones contained HBV surface antigen (HBsAg), core-related antigens (HBc/eAg), and HBV DNA sequences. HBV DNA and DNA polymerase activity were detected in particles resembling both nucleocapsids and complete virions (Dane particles). Intracellular integrated and extrachromosomal HBV DNA sequences were detected. Relaxed-circular and single-stranded forms of viral DNA were identified as likely replicative intermediates of the HBV genome. In conclusion, in vitro production of Dane-like particles by transformed human hepatocytes has been achieved. This model should be valuable as a cell culture system for studying virus replication and virus-host cell interactions.     

Persistence of the Recombinant Genomes of Woodchuck Hepatitis Virus in the Mouse Model

Hydrodynamic injection (HI) with a replication competent hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome may lead to transient or prolonged HBV replication in mice. However, the prolonged HBV persistence after HI depends on the specific backbone of the vector carrying HBV genome and the genetic background of the mouse strain. We asked whether a genetically closely related hepadnavirus, woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV), may maintain the gene expression and replication in the mouse liver after HI. Interestingly, we found that HI of pBS-WHV1.3 containing a 1.3 fold overlength WHV genome in BALB/c mouse led to the long presence of WHV DNA and WHV proteins expression in the mouse liver. Thus, we asked whether WHV genome carrying foreign DNA sequences could maintain the long term gene expression and persistence. For this purpose, the coding region of HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) was inserted into the WHV genome to replace the corresponding region. Three recombinant WHV-HBV genomes were constructed with the replacement with HBsAg a-determinant, major HBsAg, and middle HBsAg. Serum HBsAg, viral DNA, hepatic WHV protein expression, and viral replication intermediates were detected in mice after HI with recombinant genomes. Similarly, the recombinant genomes could persist for a prolonged period of time up to 45 weeks in mice. WHV and recombinant WHV-HBV genomes did not trigger effective antibody and T-cell responses to viral proteins. The ability of recombinant WHV constructs to persist in mice is an interesting aspect for the future investigation and may be explored for in vivo gene transfer.     

Integration of HBV-DNA into liver and hepatocellular carcinoma cells during persistent HBV infection

The hepatitis B virus carrier state (persistent HBV infection) is characterized by the presence of viral surface antigen (HBsAg) and virion particles (Dane particles) in the blood. From 1% to 10% of carriers develop chronic liver disease and/or hepatocellular carcinoma. Recent studies have demonstrated integrated HBV-DNA in hepatocellular carcinomas and in several human hepatoma cell lines. In hepatoma patients, integrated HBV-DNA has been found in all HBsAg carriers. Nontumorous liver also revealed integrated HBV-DNA with the same or a different hybridization pattern from that observed in the tumor. To explore when integration occurs, carriers of short-term (less than 2 years) or long-term (greater than 8-10 years) were evaluated. DNA extracts from percutaneous (needle) liver biopsies showed free viral DNA with no specific integration bands in short-term carriers. In long-term carriers, HBV-DNA was integrated into the host genome with either a diffuse or a unique hybridization pattern. HBV-DNA integration correlated with the duration of the carrier state and absence of virions in the serum but did not correlate with histologic evidence of chronic hepatitis. These studies suggest that integration of HBV-DNA occurs during persistent HBV infection irrespective of liver disease and precedes development of hepatocellular carcinoma.     

Multiple integration site of hepatitis B virus DNA in hepatocellular carcinoma and chronic active hepatitis tissues from children.

Attention was directed to hepatitis B virus (HBV) integration in tissues obtained from an hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) of an 11-year-old boy and from the liver of his 6-year-old brother, who had chronic active hepatitis. Multiple HBV DNA integration sites were demonstrated in both tissues. Cell population(s) in the HCC and liver from the patient with chronic active hepatitis were assumed to be heterogeneous with regard to HBV integration. The integrated forms in the two tissues showed similar genetic organization without gross rearrangement. The location of one of the virus-chromosomal junctions was restricted to the 5'-end region of the minus-strand DNA of HBV. The experimental results support our previous model for the mechanism of HBV integration, in which minus-strand replicative intermediates integrate into chromosomal DNA. The integrated HBV DNAs were conserved in the same region of the viral genome, spanning from the C gene through the S gene to the X gene, which contains intrinsic promoter-enhancer sequences.     

Transformation of primary rat kidney cells by DNA fragments of weakly oncogenic adenoviruses.

Primary cultures of baby rat kidney (BRK) cells were transformed by intact DNA and DNA fragments of weakly oncogenic human adenovirus types 3 and 7. The smallest fragment found to contain transforming activity was the left-terminal 4% endo R.HindIII fragment (for both adenovirus type 3 and 7 DNAs). The efficiency of transformation of this fragment was low, and no permanent cell line could be established. Left-terminal fragments ranging from 84 to 4,5% of the viral genome could all transform BRK cells with the same efficiency as intact viral DNA. A number of adenovirus type 7 DNA fragment-transformed lines were established and were found to contain persistent viral DNA sequences and adenovirus subgroup B-specific T antigen. Consequently, the transforming functions of adenovirus types 3 and 7 are located at the extreme left-hand end of the genome, and the minimum size for a DNA fragment with transforming activity is 1.0 X 10(6) daltons. These results do not rule out the possibility that viral genes located outside the transforming region may also influence transformation.     

Advances in research on hepatitis B virus DNA integration

Since HBV DNA integration was discovered for the first time in 1980, various methods have been used to detect and study it, such as Southern Blot, in situ hybridization, polymerase chain reaction and so on. HBV DNA integration is thought to be random on the whole although some hot spots of integration were described by some researchers, one of which might be the repetitive sequences of the genomic DNA. Besides, DNA damage, especially double-strand breaks could promote HBV DNA integration into host genome. HBV DNA integration into cells may damage the stability of the genome, cause DNA rearrangement, promote DNA deletion and induce the formation of HCC.