Hepatitis B virus rigs the cellular metabolome to avoid innate immune recognition

Nat Commun. 2021 Jan 4;12(1):98. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-20316-8.

Abstract

Glucose metabolism and innate immunity evolved side-by-side. It is unclear if and how the two systems interact with each other during hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections and, if so, which mechanisms are involved. Here, we report that HBV activates glycolysis to impede retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I)-induced interferon production. We demonstrate that HBV sequesters MAVS from RIG-I by forming a ternary complex including hexokinase (HK). Using a series of pharmacological and genetic approaches, we provide in vitro and in vivo evidence indicating that HBV suppresses RLR signaling via lactate dehydrogenase-A-dependent lactate production. Lactate directly binds MAVS preventing its aggregation and mitochondrial localization during HBV infection. Therefore, we show that HK2 and glycolysis-derived lactate have important functions in the immune escape of HBV and that energy metabolism regulates innate immunity during HBV infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / metabolism
  • Anaerobiosis
  • Animals
  • Cells, Cultured
  • DEAD Box Protein 58 / metabolism
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Glycolysis
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Hepatitis B virus / physiology*
  • Hepatocytes / metabolism
  • Hepatocytes / pathology
  • Hepatocytes / virology
  • Humans
  • Immune Evasion
  • Immunity, Innate*
  • Interferons / metabolism
  • Lactic Acid / metabolism
  • Metabolome*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Models, Biological
  • Signal Transduction
  • Virion / metabolism

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • MAVS protein, human
  • Lactic Acid
  • Interferons
  • DEAD Box Protein 58
  • Glucose