乙型肝炎病毒受体研究进展

肝细胞是乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)感染的主要靶器官,病毒黏着并进一步侵入肝细胞是感染启动的关键步骤。近几年的研究发现,肝细胞膜上的受体在病毒感染中起着至关重要的作用。我们对近年来几种可能的HBV受体的研究情况进行综述,对阐明HBV入侵肝细胞的机制具有一定的意义。     

RNA干扰在抗乙肝治疗中的应用及其研究进展

据世界卫生组织(WHO)报道,全世界约有20亿人曾感染过乙型肝炎病毒(HBV),其中3.5亿人为慢性HBV感染者.我国现有1.3亿乙肝病毒携带者和3 000多万乙肝患者,其中约有20%～40%的患者经过多年慢性炎症的反复发作可发展为肝硬化和肝癌.然而,至今人们仍没有找到一种能够彻底治愈慢性乙肝的特效药物.自从RNA干扰(RNA interference,RNAi)技术建立以来,人们致力于将其应用于抗病毒药物的研究与开发.研究结果表明,RNAi可有效地抑制乙肝病毒的复制,但靶向目的基因的不同RNA干扰片段所沉默的效率不同.关于将RNAi抗病毒药物应用于人体治疗的安全性和有效性还有待进一步研究,RNAi发生\"脱靶\"的现象是临床应用的难点之一.     

Human oncogenic viruses: Hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses and their role in hepatocarcinogenesis

Chronic infections caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV) are the main risk factors for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in humans. Both viruses cause a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from healthy carrier state to acute and chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and HCC. HBV and HCV belong to different viral families (Hepadnoviridae and Flaviviridae, respectively); they are characterized by different genetic structures. Clinical manifestations of these viral infections result from the interaction between these viruses and host hepatocytes (i.e. between viral and cell genomes). Proteins encoded by both viruses play an important role in processes responsible for immortalization and transformation of these cells. Chronic inflammation determined by host immune response to the viral infection, hepatocyte death and their compensatory proliferation, as well as modulation of expression of some regulatory proteins of the cell (growth factors, cytokines, etc.) are the processes that play the major role in liver cancer induced by HBV and HCV.     

Recent Advances in Research on Hepadnaviral Infection in the Woodchuck Model

The woodchuck model is an excellent animal model to study hepadnaviral infection. The new progresses in this model made possible to examine the T-cell mediated immune responses in acute and chronic hepadnaviral infection. Recently, a new assay for cytotoxic T-cells based on detection of CD107 was established for the woodchuck model. In addition, new immunotherapeutic approaches based on combination of potent antiviral treatment and DNA-protein vaccines were proven to be useful for treatment of chronic hepatitis B.     

Hepatitis B virus X protein inhibits autophagic degradation by impairing lysosomal maturation

Deficiency in autophagy, a lysosome-dependent cell degradation pathway, has been associated with a variety of diseases especially cancer. Recently, the activation of autophagy by hepatitis B virus X (HBx) protein, which is implicated in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), has been identified in hepatic cells. However, the underlying mechanism and the relevance of HBx-activated autophagy to the carcinogenesis caused by HBV remain elusive. Here, by transfection of HBV genomic DNA and HBx in hepatic and hepatoma cells, we showed that HBV- or HBx-induced autophagosome formation was accompanied by unchanged MTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin) activity and decreased degradation of LC3 and SQSTM1/p62, the typical autophagic cargo proteins. Further functional and morphological analysis indicated that HBx dramatically impaired lysosomal acidification leading to a drop in lysosomal degradative capacity and the accumulation of immature lysosomes possibly through interaction with V-ATPase affecting its lysosome targeting. Moreover, clinical specimen test showed increased SQSTM1 and immature lysosomal hydrolase CTSD (cathepsin D) in human liver tissues with chronic HBV infection and HBV-associated liver cancer. These data suggest that a repressive effect of HBx on lysosomal function is responsible for the inhibition of autophagic degradation, and this may be critical to the development of HBV-associated HCC.     

Recent advances in research on hepadnaviral infection in the woodchuck model

The woodchuck model is an excellent animal model to study hepadnaviral infection. The new progresses in this model made possible to examine the T-cell mediated immune responses in acute and chronic hepadnaviral infection. Recently, a new assay for cytotoxic T-cells based on detection of CD107 was established for the woodchuck model. In addition, new immunotherapeutic approaches based on combination of potent antiviral treatment and DNA-protein vaccines were proven to be useful for treatment of chronic hepatitis B.     

增强乙型肝炎疫苗免疫效果的研究进展

乙肝疫苗对于控制乙型肝炎病毒感染十分重要.近年人们仍在根据免疫学理论和生物工程技术进展不断研发更加科学有效的新型乙肝疫苗.就新型乙肝疫苗设计的免疫机制和提高免疫效果的关键因素作出综述.     

丙型肝炎病毒细胞和动物模型的研究进展

丙型肝炎病毒(HCV)是造成慢性肝炎、肝硬化及肝癌的重要病因之一,目前全世界约1.7亿人感染HCV.HCV的自然宿主范围很窄,由于缺少有效的HCV细胞培养系统和小动物模型,人们对其生活周期、作用机制等仍不是很清楚,从而严重阻碍了HCV疫苗及治疗药物的开发与研制.我们简要综述了近几年在HCV细胞和动物模型方面的进展,同时...     

治疗性乙型肝炎疫苗研究进展

乙肝疫苗多用于预防乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)。近年来,人们的研究重点转移到了针对慢性乙肝病毒携带和慢性乙肝患的治疗性疫苗的开发上。本就治疗性乙肝疫苗的分类、机制及临床疗效加以综述。     

RNA干扰抑制乙型肝炎病毒复制及基因表达研究进展

RNA干扰(RNAinterference,RNAi)是指由21～23个核苷酸组成的双链RNA(dsRNA)所引发的生物细胞内同源基因转录后沉默的现象,是生物体在进化过程中普遍存在的一种基因调控机制。目前对由乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)引起的病毒性肝炎尚无令人满意的治疗效果,而RNA干扰技术的出现为各类慢性HBV感染的治疗开辟了新的途径。本文对RNA干扰抑制HBV复制及基因表达的研究现状、存在问题及应用前景进行了综述。     

乙型肝炎病毒DNA疫苗的研究进展

预防与控制乙型肝炎发病的乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)疫苗,是有重大的社会和经济意义。HBV的持续感染可引起慢性肝脏疾患,并逐步发展为肝硬化和肝细胞癌(HCC)。目前的乙肝重组亚单位疫苗可以使90％的接种产生保护性抗体;但是对慢性HBV携带,由于其机体对HBsAg蛋白产生耐受,不能产生体液和细胞免疫,因此它只能作为一种预防性的疫苗。DNA疫苗(基因疫苗)是一种新的疫苗技术,通过向体内递送编码抗原的细菌质粒,刺激产生特异的体液和细胞免疫反应。在小鼠和其他的肝炎病毒感染动物模型中,HBV DNA疫苗可以特异性地引起体液和细胞免疫,清除HBV转基因动物血循环中的HBsAg颗粒和HBV DNA。如果加入各种免疫调节细胞因子的基因,可以进一步提高HBV DNA疫苗的免疫效果,因此它不仅可作为预防性疫苗,也可作为治疗型疫苗。     

乙型肝炎患者血清蛋白电泳谱变化规律的研究

研究乙型肝炎病毒患者血清蛋白的变化特点,探讨其与疾病进程的关系。从临床收集正常体检者血清和乙型肝炎病毒不同感染阶段的患者血清,按疾病类型进行分组。选用血清蛋白电泳技术检测白蛋白(ALB)、α1球蛋白、α2球蛋白,γ球蛋白百分含量及A/G。与正常对照组相比,重度慢性肝炎组、肝炎肝硬化组和原发性肝癌组中ALB、α1球蛋白、α2球蛋白明显降低,而γ球蛋白明显升高;重度慢性肝炎、肝炎肝硬化、原发性肝癌三组中A/G比值依次明显降低。急性乙型肝炎组和轻度慢性肝炎组的蛋白电泳各项指标均无明显变化。前白蛋白含量在急性乙型肝炎、轻度慢性肝炎、重度慢性肝炎、肝炎肝硬化和原发性肝癌组均明显降低。结果提示,蛋白电泳图谱随着乙型肝炎病毒感染的不同阶段会发生相应变化。A/G能够反应乙型肝炎病毒感染的中晚期进展,对乙型肝炎的诊断,治疗以及病情转归具有重要意义。     

γ/δ T细胞与丙型肝炎病毒、乙型肝炎病毒感染

病毒性肝炎的发病机制迄今尚未完全明确,诸多证据表明,乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)及丙型肝炎病毒(HCV)所致肝炎可能是肝脏细胞免疫防御反应病毒入侵的结果。γ/δT细胞是新近认识的一个T细胞亚群,是机体抵抗外来病原微生物入侵的重要天然免疫细胞之一。近年研究发现,肝内富含γ/δT细胞,而病毒性肝炎肝内γ/δT细胞数量显著增高。目前有关γ/δT细胞与肝炎病毒感染的研究主要集中在HCV感染领域,即γ/δT细胞通过分泌多种细胞因子抑制体内HCV的复制。目前,有关γ/δT细胞与HBV感染的报道甚为少见。慢性HBV感染体内可能导致γ/δT细胞免疫学功能异常,这可能是导致体内病毒性乙型肝炎慢性化的主要原因之一。     

HBx protein induces EMT through c-Src activation in SMMC-7721 hepatoma cell line

The relationships between epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx), and the non-receptor tyrosine kinase c-Src were investigated. The HBx gene transfected SMMC-7721 cells underwent morphological changes from a classic epithelial morphology to a spindle-like shape. The HBx transfection increased the invasive potential of these cells. When the transfected cells were exposed to the c-Src kinase inhibitor PP2, the cells recovered their original epithelial morphology and the mRNA and protein expression of epithelial and mesenchymal markers returned to the parental cell levels. Our data suggest that activated c-Src played a critical role in the HBx-induced EMT of SMMC-7721 cells.     

应用系统发育树分析DDBJ基因库中HBV基因序列的基因型

为了充分利用核酸库中的HBV序列信息,探讨DDBJ核酸库中HBV基因序列的基因分型,采用Clustal X（1.8）软件比较HBV基因序列前S区序列差异并产生系统发育树。通过对下载的1471条HBV基因序列进行系统分析。获得了228条前S/S区完整的HBV基因序列,其中有66条序列的基因型已被各种方法所证实。利用软件分析绘制了基于228条HBV前S区基因序列的系统发育树。66条已知基因型HBV基因序列在系统发育树上的分型与其原有基因型完全吻合。在228条HBV基因序列中,有207条序列分别属于A、B、C、D、E、F和G等7个基因型,但另外21条序列不能归属于上述7个基因型的任何一种,而且它们又分为彼此相互独立存在的两群,暂分别称之为未分型I和未分型Ⅱ,经比较未分型I、Ⅱ和其他7个基因型前S区核苷酸序列,发现未分型I、Ⅱ和D型前S区都有33个核苷酸缺失,但三者基因缺失片段的位置和形式各不相同,但其它六型前S区无大片段基因缺失。结果说明采用基于前S区的系统发育树基因分型分析方法正确可靠,除了现已证实的7个基因型外,尚可能存在另外两个新的HBV基因型。     

乙肝研究的历史回顾及其哲学思考

乙型肝炎的研究可以分为病因学、感染传播机制和防治三部分,涵盖了流行病学、传染病学、生物化学、病理学、分子生物学等多种学科。随着现代科学技术的快速发展和进步,过去十年我们才对乙型肝炎进行了科学、系统的研究。本文主要回顾了乙型肝炎的研究史,我们发现正确的研究方法和科学思路在揭示乙型肝炎发病机制、病毒感染传播、乙型肝炎预防和治疗中起到了关键的作用。客观辨证地分析单个机体内部、周围环境和人群间的关系、人群研究和实验室研究、基础研究和临床研究、传统方法和现代高科技的有机结合、微观研究和宏观研究相结合,是乙型肝炎研究突破的重要环节。