Interferon (IFN) alpha is the first-line treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection; however the exact molecular mechanism of its inhibitory action on HBV replication has not been fully elucidated. This study demonstrates a specific inhibitory effect of IFN alpha and other type I-IFNs on HBV Enhancer (Enh) I, II and core promoter (c/p) regulated transcription in human hepatoma cell lines. The observed inhibitory effect was dependent on the presence of a DNA fragment spanning nt 1578-1704 of the HBV genome. Using DNA probes from this regulatory region, the DNA-binding activity of different nuclear factors was analysed; no single factor required for the IFN effect was identified. In line with the transcriptional regulation of other human pathogenic viruses (e.g. HIV), this finding might indicate the presence of repetitive binding sites for a nuclear factor (e.g. C/EBP) within the entire Enh I, II and c/p region.
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Interferon (IFN) alpha is the first-line treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection; however the exact molecular mechanism of its inhibitory action on HBV replication has not been fully elucidated. This study demonstrates a specific inhibitory effect of IFN alpha and other type I-IFNs on HBV Enhancer (Enh) I, II and core promoter (c/p) regulated transcription in human hepatoma cell lines. The observed inhibitory effect was dependent on the presence of a DNA fragment spanning nt 1578...
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