Comparative Analysis of the Antiviral Effects Mediated by Type I and III Interferons in Hepatitis B Virus-Infected Hepatocytes

TY - JOUR

T1 - Comparative Analysis of the Antiviral Effects Mediated by Type I and III Interferons in Hepatitis B Virus-Infected Hepatocytes

AU - Bockmann, Jan-Hendrik

AU - Stadler, Daniela

AU - Xia, Yuchen

AU - Ko, Chunkyu

AU - Wettengel, Jochen M

AU - Schulze Zur Wiesch, Julian

AU - Dandri, Maura

AU - Protzer, Ulrike

N1 - © The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

PY - 2019/7/19

Y1 - 2019/7/19

N2 - BACKGROUND: Type III interferons (IFNs) (λ1-3) activate similar signaling cascades as type I IFNs (α and β) via different receptors. Since IFN-α and lymphotoxin-β activate cytosine deamination and subsequent purging of nuclear hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, we investigated whether IFN-β and -λ may also induce these antiviral effects in differentiated HBV-infected hepatocytes.METHODS: After determining the biological activity of IFN-α2, -β1, -λ1, and -λ2 in differentiated hepatocytes, their antiviral effects were analyzed in HBV-infected primary human hepatocytes and HepaRG cells.RESULTS: Type I and III IFNs reduced nuclear open-circle DNA and covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) levels in HBV-infected cells. IFN-β and -λ were at least as efficient as IFN-α. Differential DNA-denaturing polymerase chain reaction and sequencing analysis revealed G-to-A sequence alterations of HBV cccDNA in IFN-α, -β, and -λ-treated liver cells indicating deamination. All IFNs induced apolipoprotein B messenger RNA-editing enzyme-catalytic polypeptide-like (APOBEC) deaminases 3A and 3G within 24 hours of treatment, but IFN-β and -λ induced longer-lasting expression of APOBEC deaminases in comparison to IFN-α.CONCLUSIONS: IFN-β, IFN-λ1, and IFN-λ2 induce cccDNA deamination and degradation at least as efficiently as IFN-α, indicating that these antiviral cytokines are interesting candidates for the design of new therapeutic strategies aiming at cccDNA reduction and HBV cure.

AB - BACKGROUND: Type III interferons (IFNs) (λ1-3) activate similar signaling cascades as type I IFNs (α and β) via different receptors. Since IFN-α and lymphotoxin-β activate cytosine deamination and subsequent purging of nuclear hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, we investigated whether IFN-β and -λ may also induce these antiviral effects in differentiated HBV-infected hepatocytes.METHODS: After determining the biological activity of IFN-α2, -β1, -λ1, and -λ2 in differentiated hepatocytes, their antiviral effects were analyzed in HBV-infected primary human hepatocytes and HepaRG cells.RESULTS: Type I and III IFNs reduced nuclear open-circle DNA and covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) levels in HBV-infected cells. IFN-β and -λ were at least as efficient as IFN-α. Differential DNA-denaturing polymerase chain reaction and sequencing analysis revealed G-to-A sequence alterations of HBV cccDNA in IFN-α, -β, and -λ-treated liver cells indicating deamination. All IFNs induced apolipoprotein B messenger RNA-editing enzyme-catalytic polypeptide-like (APOBEC) deaminases 3A and 3G within 24 hours of treatment, but IFN-β and -λ induced longer-lasting expression of APOBEC deaminases in comparison to IFN-α.CONCLUSIONS: IFN-β, IFN-λ1, and IFN-λ2 induce cccDNA deamination and degradation at least as efficiently as IFN-α, indicating that these antiviral cytokines are interesting candidates for the design of new therapeutic strategies aiming at cccDNA reduction and HBV cure.

U2 - 10.1093/infdis/jiz143

DO - 10.1093/infdis/jiz143

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 30923817

VL - 220

SP - 567

EP - 577

JO - J INFECT DIS

JF - J INFECT DIS

SN - 0022-1899

IS - 4

ER -