Hepatitis B virus efficiently infects non-adherent hepatoma cells via human sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide

Sci Rep. 2015 Nov 23:5:17047. doi: 10.1038/srep17047.

Abstract

Sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP) has been reported as a functional receptor for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. However, HBV could not efficiently infect HepG2 cells expressing NTCP (NTCP-HepG2 cells) under adherent monolayer-cell conditions. In this study, NTCP was mainly detected in the basolateral membrane region, but not the apical site, of monolayer NTCP-HepG2 cells. We hypothesized that non-adherent cell conditions of infection would enhance HBV infectivity. Non-adherent NTCP-HepG2 cells were prepared by treatment with trypsin and EDTA, which did not degrade NTCP in the membrane fraction. HBV successfully infected NTCP-HepG2 cells at a viral dose 10 times lower in non-adherent phase than in adherent phase. Efficient infection of non-adherent NTCP-HepG2 cells with blood-borne or cell-culture-derived HBV was observed and was remarkably impaired in the presence of the myristoylated preS1 peptide. HBV could also efficiently infect HepaRG cells under non-adherent cell conditions. We screened several compounds using our culture system and identified proscillaridin A as a potent anti-HBV agent with an IC50 value of 7.2 nM. In conclusion, non-adherent host cell conditions of infection augmented HBV infectivity in an NTCP-dependent manner, thus providing a novel strategy to identify anti-HBV drugs and investigate the mechanism of HBV infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bufanolides / pharmacology
  • Cell Adhesion
  • Digitoxin / pharmacology
  • Digoxin / pharmacology
  • Gene Expression
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Hepatitis B virus / drug effects
  • Hepatitis B virus / physiology
  • High-Throughput Screening Assays
  • Humans
  • Organic Anion Transporters, Sodium-Dependent / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Organic Anion Transporters, Sodium-Dependent / genetics*
  • Organic Anion Transporters, Sodium-Dependent / metabolism
  • Phthalazines / pharmacology
  • Proscillaridin / pharmacology*
  • Receptors, Virus / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptors, Virus / genetics*
  • Receptors, Virus / metabolism
  • Simvastatin / pharmacology
  • Strophanthins / pharmacology
  • Symporters / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Symporters / genetics*
  • Symporters / metabolism
  • Transgenes
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / pharmacology
  • Virus Internalization / drug effects*

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Bufanolides
  • L protein, hepatitis B virus
  • Organic Anion Transporters, Sodium-Dependent
  • Phthalazines
  • Receptors, Virus
  • Strophanthins
  • Symporters
  • Viral Envelope Proteins
  • sodium-bile acid cotransporter
  • Digoxin
  • Simvastatin
  • Digitoxin
  • convallatoxin
  • Proscillaridin
  • bufalin
  • azelastine