Hepatitis B virus prevents excessive viral production via reduction of cell death-inducing DFF45-like effectors

J Gen Virol. 2017 Jul;98(7):1762-1773. doi: 10.1099/jgv.0.000813.

Abstract

The relationship between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and lipid accumulation remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the effect of HBV propagation on lipid droplet growth in HBV-infected cells and HBV-producing cell lines, HepG2.2.15 and HBV-inducible Hep38.7-Tet. The amount of intracellular triglycerides was significantly reduced in HBV-infected and HBV-producing cells compared with HBV-lacking control cells. Electron and immunofluorescent microscopic analyses showed that the average size of a single lipid droplet (LD) was significantly less in the HBV-infected and HBV-producing cells than in the HBV-lacking control cells. Cell death-inducing DFF45-like effectors (CIDEs) B and C (CIDEB and CIDEC), which are involved in LD expansion for the improvement of lipid storage, were expressed at a significantly lower level in HBV-infected or HBV-producing cells than in HBV-lacking control cells, while CIDEA was not detected in those cells regardless of HBV production. The activity of the CIDEB and CIDEC gene promoters was impaired in HBV-infected or HBV-producing cells compared to HBV-lacking control cells, while CIDEs potentiated HBV core promoter activity. The amount of HNF4α, that can promote the transcription of CIDEB was significantly lower in HBV-producing cells than in HBV-lacking control cells. Knockout of CIDEB or CIDEC significantly reduced the amount of supernatant HBV DNA, intracellular viral RNA and nucleocapsid-associated viral DNA, while the expression of CIDEB or CIDEC recovered HBV production in CIDEB- or CIDEC-knockout cells. These results suggest that HBV regulates its own viral replication via CIDEB and CIDEC.

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / genetics
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Hepatitis B virus / genetics
  • Hepatitis B virus / metabolism*
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4 / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Lipid Droplets / metabolism*
  • Lipid Metabolism
  • Proteins / genetics
  • Proteins / metabolism*
  • RNA Interference
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • Triglycerides / metabolism
  • Virus Replication / physiology

Substances

  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • CIDEA protein, human
  • CIDEB protein, human
  • CIDEC protein, human
  • HNF4A protein, human
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4
  • Proteins
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Triglycerides
  • caspase-activated DNase inhibitor