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Advance in molecular mechanism of interferon to treat chronic hepatitis B
Han-Qu Liu, Bo Qin
Han-Qu Liu, Bo Qin, Department of Infectious Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China
Correspondence to: Professor Bo Qin, Department of Infectious Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China. cqqinbo@126.com
Received: April 28, 2009 Revised: June 5, 2009 Accepted: June 8, 2009 Published online: June 28, 2009
The antiviral efficacy of interferon-α (IFN-α) therapy for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is not only related to DNA load and genetype of HBV before treatment, gene mutation of HBV and polymorphism of type II HLA in the host, but also depends on the immunity of CHB patients. Researchers pay more and more attention to the mutant strain of virus and phenotypes of genes. However, the mechanism of interferon to resist HBV and the escape mechanism of HBV against the IFN therapy have not been clarified yet. This paper reviews the mechanism of IFN therapy and the influencing factors at molecular and genetic levels.
Citation: Liu HQ, Qin B. Advance in molecular mechanism of interferon to treat chronic hepatitis B. Shijie Huaren Xiaohua Zazhi 2009; 17(18): 1803-1808
目前发现HBV有8种基因型, 呈地域性分布. 研究表明HBV基因型对慢性HBV感染的自然病程、临床结局、抗病毒治疗等具有影响. Halfon et al[9], Kao et al[10]提出: HBV基因型与IFN疗效存在相关性, A基因型与B基因型对于扰素的应答率分别较D基因型与C基因型均更高, 感染A和B型HBV的患者应用IFN-α的治疗效果要显著好于感染C和D型HBV的患者.
1.2 肝细胞及病毒基因谱变化
1.2.1 细胞基因谱: 在IFN治疗无应答相关基因的研究方面, 国内外学者发现HBV感染的细胞系在基因谱的表达上存在差异[11]. Xiong et al[12]研究表明IFN-α/γ不同程度的调节了许多与激酶和信号转导、转录调节、抗原提呈和加工相关的基因, 发现一些IFN差别调节基因, 如MyD88、Diubiquitin抑制HBV的基因表达, 而MyD88已证明可抑制HBV的复制. Wieland et al[13]研究鉴别了29种与抑制HBV复制紧密相关的基因, 发现Ⅰ型、Ⅱ型IFN极强的诱导了免疫保护、泛素样蛋白的多重组件及许多GTP结合蛋白, 包括具有抗病毒活性的GTP酶、化学增活素、信号分子、与抗原加工相关的多种基因等, 并提出一个或更多相对较小亚型的基因成员可能介导了IFN的抗病毒活性, 且IFN的抗病毒效能呈蛋白酶体依赖. 这些差别基因的发现是抗HBV治疗的一个潜在新靶点.
1.2.2 病毒基因突变体: Xu et al[14]和Lampertico et al[15]研究发现HBV前C区突变的存在是IFN治疗是否应答的一个决定因素, 前C区突变体与IFN的持续应答及未经IFN治疗的HBV携带者血清由HBeAg自行转换成HBeAb有关. Wang et al用野生型HBV及含有前C区突变体的HBV转染Huh7细胞研究发现, 前C区突变的HBV存在IFN-α治疗抵抗, C区双突变的HBV具有较野生型HBV更强的病毒复制能力及对IFN-α的更低的治疗应答率[16-17]. HBV基因组C区在转录水平调节HBeAg分泌, C区的基因突变与HbeAg阴性的CHB有关, HbeAg阴性的CHB对IFN治疗的持续应答率较低. 王卫峰 et al[18]体外研究IFN-α-2b作用下HBV突变机制, 发现在rhlIFN-α-2b高剂量条件选择下, 能检测到HepG2.2.15 HBV前C/C基因插入或缺失突变株, 突变株与优势株相比基因序列同源性平均在97%以上.
1.2.3 单个核甘酸多态性: King et al[19]收集IFN治疗CHB有应答者46例和无应答者36例, 对IFN信号传导途径中的22个单个核甘酸多态性(single nucleotides polymorphism, SNP)进行分析, 发现真核细胞翻译启始因子2(eIF-2α)调节区SNP杂合子(A/G)在IFN应答组占22%, 而IFN无应答组仅占2%, 而MxA 88为G/T杂合子在IFN应答组中占43%, 而无应答组为19%, 杂合子率有应答组高于无应答组. 目前国内一些单位开始利用SNP分型来预测IFN的疗效, 但是其预测IFN疗效的阴性预测值和阳性预测值有待进一步评定.
Zhang et al[39]对儿童CHB患者接受普通IFN治疗后外周血pDCs数量及功能进行了研究, 结果认为: pDCs可能参与到IFN清除HBV的过程, 治疗过程中pDCs数量和功能的恢复, 是疗效较好的标志, 可以作为一项预测因素.
3.2 T淋巴细胞
Th1型细胞因子在IFN疗效中起重要的作用. Rico et al[40]报道IFN治疗有应答的患者其外周血和肝脏HBcAg、HBeAg特异性增殖Th细胞的数量明显高于IFN治疗无应答者. 无应答者HBV反应细胞产生以Th2为主的免疫反应, 肝脏内淋巴细胞在IFN有应答者表现为HBV抗原刺激后IFN-γ和IL-12增加, 而无应答者表现相反, 并伴有IL-10的升高.
Genel et al[41]调查了40例HBeAg阳性的CHB患者, 分析治疗前临床特征、组织学活动指数和免疫学参数对IFN-α治疗应答的预测价值, 发现由外周血CD8+升高引起的CD4/CD8降低与治疗应答有显著相关性. Tang et al[42]发现IFN治疗有应答组, 肝内CD8+ T细胞和CD8+ IFN-γ+ T细胞明显高于IFN治疗无应答组, CD8 GrB+ T细胞较无应答组轻微升高治疗前肝组织内CD8+T淋巴细胞计数高是IFN-α治疗应答率高的预测因素.
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