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Roca Suarez AA, Plissonnier ML, Grand X, Michelet M, Giraud G, Saez-Palma M, Dubois A, Heintz S, Diederichs A, Van Renne N, Vanwolleghem T, Daffis S, Li L, Kolhatkar N, Hsu YC, Wallin JJ, Lau AH, Fletcher SP, Rivoire M, Levrero M, Testoni B, Zoulim F. TLR8 agonist selgantolimod regulates Kupffer cell differentiation status and impairs HBV entry into hepatocytes via an IL-6-dependent mechanism. Gut 2024:gutjnl-2023-331396. [PMID: 38697771 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2023-331396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Achieving HBV cure will require novel combination therapies of direct-acting antivirals and immunomodulatory agents. In this context, the toll-like receptor 8 (TLR8) agonist selgantolimod (SLGN) has been investigated in preclinical models and clinical trials for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). However, little is known regarding its action on immune effectors within the liver. Our aim was to characterise the transcriptomic changes and intercellular communication events induced by SLGN in the hepatic microenvironment. DESIGN We identified TLR8-expressing cell types in the human liver using publicly available single-cell RNA-seq data and established a method to isolate Kupffer cells (KCs). We characterised transcriptomic and cytokine KC profiles in response to SLGN. SLGN's indirect effect was evaluated by RNA-seq in hepatocytes treated with SLGN-conditioned media (CM) and quantification of HBV parameters following infection. Pathways mediating SLGN's effect were validated using transcriptomic data from HBV-infected patients. RESULTS Hepatic TLR8 expression takes place in the myeloid compartment. SLGN treatment of KCs upregulated monocyte markers (eg, S100A12) and downregulated genes associated with the KC identity (eg, SPIC). Treatment of hepatocytes with SLGN-CM downregulated NTCP and impaired HBV entry. Cotreatment with an interleukin 6-neutralising antibody reverted the HBV entry inhibition. CONCLUSION Our transcriptomic characterisation of SLGN sheds light into the programmes regulating KC activation. Furthermore, in addition to its previously described effect on established HBV infection and adaptive immunity, we show that SLGN impairs HBV entry. Altogether, SLGN may contribute through KCs to remodelling the intrahepatic immune microenvironment and may thus represent an important component of future combinations to cure HBV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armando Andres Roca Suarez
- INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), Lyon, France
- University of Lyon, Université Claude-Bernard (UCBL), Lyon, France
- The Lyon Hepatology Institute EVEREST, Lyon, France
| | - Marie-Laure Plissonnier
- INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), Lyon, France
- University of Lyon, Université Claude-Bernard (UCBL), Lyon, France
- The Lyon Hepatology Institute EVEREST, Lyon, France
| | - Xavier Grand
- INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), Lyon, France
- University of Lyon, Université Claude-Bernard (UCBL), Lyon, France
- The Lyon Hepatology Institute EVEREST, Lyon, France
| | - Maud Michelet
- INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), Lyon, France
- University of Lyon, Université Claude-Bernard (UCBL), Lyon, France
- The Lyon Hepatology Institute EVEREST, Lyon, France
| | - Guillaume Giraud
- INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), Lyon, France
- University of Lyon, Université Claude-Bernard (UCBL), Lyon, France
- The Lyon Hepatology Institute EVEREST, Lyon, France
| | - Maria Saez-Palma
- INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), Lyon, France
- University of Lyon, Université Claude-Bernard (UCBL), Lyon, France
- The Lyon Hepatology Institute EVEREST, Lyon, France
| | - Anaëlle Dubois
- INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), Lyon, France
- University of Lyon, Université Claude-Bernard (UCBL), Lyon, France
- The Lyon Hepatology Institute EVEREST, Lyon, France
| | - Sarah Heintz
- INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), Lyon, France
- University of Lyon, Université Claude-Bernard (UCBL), Lyon, France
- The Lyon Hepatology Institute EVEREST, Lyon, France
| | - Audrey Diederichs
- INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), Lyon, France
- University of Lyon, Université Claude-Bernard (UCBL), Lyon, France
- The Lyon Hepatology Institute EVEREST, Lyon, France
| | - Nicolaas Van Renne
- Viral Hepatitis Research Group, Laboratory of Experimental Medicine and Pediatrics, Antwerp University, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Thomas Vanwolleghem
- Viral Hepatitis Research Group, Laboratory of Experimental Medicine and Pediatrics, Antwerp University, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Li Li
- Gilead Sciences Inc, 324 Lakeside Dr, Foster City, CA, USA
| | | | - Yao-Chun Hsu
- Center for Liver Diseases, E-Da Hospital/I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | | | - Audrey H Lau
- Gilead Sciences Inc, 324 Lakeside Dr, Foster City, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Massimo Levrero
- INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), Lyon, France
- University of Lyon, Université Claude-Bernard (UCBL), Lyon, France
- The Lyon Hepatology Institute EVEREST, Lyon, France
- Department of Hepatology, Croix Rousse hospital, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
- Department of Internal Medicine - DMISM and the IIT Center for Life Nanoscience (CLNS), Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Barbara Testoni
- INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), Lyon, France
- University of Lyon, Université Claude-Bernard (UCBL), Lyon, France
- The Lyon Hepatology Institute EVEREST, Lyon, France
| | - Fabien Zoulim
- INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), Lyon, France
- University of Lyon, Université Claude-Bernard (UCBL), Lyon, France
- The Lyon Hepatology Institute EVEREST, Lyon, France
- Department of Hepatology, Croix Rousse hospital, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
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Song Y, Fan W, Yao C, Wang H, Lu X, Wang Y, Liu P, Ma Y, Zhang Z, Wang J, Chu B, Shi L, Yang G, Wang M. Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of quinazoline and pyrrolo[3,2- d]pyrimidine derivatives as TLR7 agonists for antiviral agents. Org Biomol Chem 2024; 22:2764-2773. [PMID: 38497199 DOI: 10.1039/d4ob00048j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) play a critical role in the innate immune response, and toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) is an important member of PRRs. Although several TLR7 agonists are available, most of them are being tested clinically, with only one available on the market. Thus, it is imperative to develop new TLR7 agonists. In this study, we designed and synthesized three kinds of quinazoline derivatives and five kinds of pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidine derivatives targeting TLR7. The antiviral efficacy of these compounds was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Our findings indicated that four kinds of compounds showed exceptional antiviral activity. Furthermore, molecular docking studies confirmed that compound 11 successfully positioned itself in the pocket of the TLR7 guanosine loading site with a binding energy of -4.45 kcal mol-1. These results suggested that these compounds might be potential antiviral agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Song
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China
- Molecule Biology Laboratory of Zhengzhou Normal University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450044, China
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - Wenjie Fan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - Chen Yao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - Heng Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - Xiuxiang Lu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - Yumin Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - Pengxiang Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - Yanjie Ma
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Molecule Biology Laboratory of Zhengzhou Normal University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450044, China
| | - Jiang Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - BeiBei Chu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - Lijun Shi
- College of Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China.
| | - Guoyu Yang
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China.
- Key Laboratories of Animal Biochemistry and Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Growth and Development of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450046, China
| | - Mengdi Wang
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450046, China.
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Zhang Y, Bourgine M, Wan Y, Song J, Li Z, Yu Y, Jiang W, Zhou M, Guo C, Santucci D, Liang X, Brechot C, Zhang W, Charneau P, Wu H, Qiu C. Therapeutic vaccination with lentiviral vector in HBV-persistent mice and two inactive HBsAg carriers. J Hepatol 2024; 80:31-40. [PMID: 37827470 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2023.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Immunotherapy for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has not yet demonstrated sufficient efficacy. We developed a non-integrative lentiviral-vectored therapeutic vaccine for chronic hepatitis B and tested its antiviral effects in HBV-persistent mice and two inactive HBsAg carriers. METHODS Lentiviral vectors (LVs) encoding the core, preS1, or large HBsAg (LHBs) proteins of HBV were evaluated for immunogenicity in HBV-naïve mice and therapeutic efficacy in a murine model of chronic HBV infection. In addition, two inactive HBsAg carriers each received two doses of 5×107 transduction units (TU) or 1×108 TU of lentiviral-vectored LHBs (LV-LHBs), respectively. The endpoints were safety, LHBs-specific T-cell responses, and serum HBsAg levels during a 24-week follow-up. RESULTS In the mouse models, LV-LHBs was the most promising in eliciting robust antigen-specific T cells and in reducing the levels of serum HBsAg and viral load. By the end of the 34-week observation period, six out of ten (60%) HBV-persistent mice vaccinated with LV-LHBs achieved serum HBsAg loss and significant depletion of HBV-positive hepatocytes in the liver. In the two inactive HBsAg carriers, vaccination with LV-LHBs induced a considerable increase in the number of peripheral LHBs-specific T cells in one patient, and a weak but detectable response in the other, accompanied by a sustained reduction of HBsAg (-0.31 log10 IU/ml and -0.46 log10 IU/ml, respectively) from baseline to nadir. CONCLUSIONS A lentiviral-vectored therapeutic vaccine for chronic HBV infection demonstrated the potential to improve HBV-specific T-cell responses and deplete HBV-positive hepatocytes, leading to a sustained loss or reduction of serum HBsAg. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS Chronic HBV infection is characterized by an extremely low number and profound hypo-responsiveness of HBV-specific T cells. Therapeutic vaccines are designed to improve HBV-specific T-cell responses. We show that immunization with a lentiviral-vectored therapeutic HBV vaccine was able to expand HBV-specific T cells in vivo, leading to reductions of HBV-positive hepatocytes and serum HBsAg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumeng Zhang
- Department of Infectious Disease, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Sci-Tech Inno Center for Infection & Immunity, Shanghai, 200052, China
| | - Maryline Bourgine
- Institut Pasteur-TheraVectys Joint Lab, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Yanmin Wan
- Department of Infectious Disease, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Sci-Tech Inno Center for Infection & Immunity, Shanghai, 200052, China
| | - Jieyu Song
- Department of Infectious Disease, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Yiqi Yu
- Department of Infectious Disease, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Mingzhe Zhou
- Department of Infectious Disease, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Cuiyuan Guo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China; Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China
| | | | | | - Christian Brechot
- TheraVectys S.A., Paris, France; University of South Florida, Tampa, USA.
| | - Wenhong Zhang
- Department of Infectious Disease, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Sci-Tech Inno Center for Infection & Immunity, Shanghai, 200052, China.
| | - Pierre Charneau
- Institut Pasteur-TheraVectys Joint Lab, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, F-75015 Paris, France.
| | - Hong Wu
- Changzhi People's Hospital, Changzhi, China.
| | - Chao Qiu
- Department of Infectious Disease, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Sci-Tech Inno Center for Infection & Immunity, Shanghai, 200052, China; Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China..
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Mahmood F, Xu R, Awan MUN, Song Y, Han Q, Xia X, Wei J, Xu J, Peng J, Zhang J. HBV Vaccines: Advances and Development. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1862. [PMID: 38140265 PMCID: PMC10747071 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11121862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a global public health problem that is closely related to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The prevalence of acute and chronic HBV infection, liver cirrhosis, and HCC has significantly decreased as a result of the introduction of universal HBV vaccination programs. The first hepatitis B vaccine approved was developed by purifying the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) from the plasma of asymptomatic HBsAg carriers. Subsequently, recombinant DNA technology led to the development of the recombinant hepatitis B vaccine. Although there are already several licensed vaccines available for HBV infection, continuous research is essential to develop even more effective vaccines. Prophylactic hepatitis B vaccination has been important in the prevention of hepatitis B because it has effectively produced protective immunity against hepatitis B viral infection. Prophylactic vaccines only need to provoke neutralizing antibodies directed against the HBV envelop proteins, whereas therapeutic vaccines are most likely needed to induce a comprehensive T cell response and thus, should include other HBV antigens, such as HBV core and polymerase. The existing vaccines have proven to be highly effective in preventing HBV infection, but ongoing research aims to improve their efficacy, duration of protection, and accessibility. The routine administration of the HBV vaccine is safe and well-tolerated worldwide. The purpose of this type of immunization is to trigger an immunological response in the host, which will halt HBV replication. The clinical efficacy and safety of the HBV vaccine are affected by a number of immunological and clinical factors. However, this success is now in jeopardy due to the breakthrough infections caused by HBV variants with mutations in the S gene, high viral loads, and virus-induced immunosuppression. In this review, we describe various types of available HBV vaccines, along with the recent progress in the ongoing battle to develop new vaccines against HBV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faisal Mahmood
- Molecular Medicine Research Centre of Yunnan Province, Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China; (F.M.); (R.X.); (Y.S.); (Q.H.); (X.X.)
- Central Laboratory, Liver Disease Research Center and Department of Infectious Disease, The Affiliated Hospital of Yunnan University, Kunming 650021, China;
| | - Ruixian Xu
- Molecular Medicine Research Centre of Yunnan Province, Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China; (F.M.); (R.X.); (Y.S.); (Q.H.); (X.X.)
| | - Maher Un Nisa Awan
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Yunnan University, No. 176 Qingnian Road, Kunming 650021, China; (M.U.N.A.); (J.X.)
| | - Yuzhu Song
- Molecular Medicine Research Centre of Yunnan Province, Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China; (F.M.); (R.X.); (Y.S.); (Q.H.); (X.X.)
| | - Qinqin Han
- Molecular Medicine Research Centre of Yunnan Province, Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China; (F.M.); (R.X.); (Y.S.); (Q.H.); (X.X.)
| | - Xueshan Xia
- Molecular Medicine Research Centre of Yunnan Province, Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China; (F.M.); (R.X.); (Y.S.); (Q.H.); (X.X.)
| | - Jia Wei
- Central Laboratory, Liver Disease Research Center and Department of Infectious Disease, The Affiliated Hospital of Yunnan University, Kunming 650021, China;
| | - Jun Xu
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Yunnan University, No. 176 Qingnian Road, Kunming 650021, China; (M.U.N.A.); (J.X.)
| | - Juan Peng
- The Obstetrical Department, The First People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming 650032, China;
| | - Jinyang Zhang
- Molecular Medicine Research Centre of Yunnan Province, Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China; (F.M.); (R.X.); (Y.S.); (Q.H.); (X.X.)
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Osmani Z, Boonstra A. Recent Insights into the Role of B Cells in Chronic Hepatitis B and C Infections. Pathogens 2023; 12:815. [PMID: 37375505 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12060815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic viral hepatitis infections, caused by the hepatitis B or C virus, are a major global health problem causing an estimated one million deaths each year. Immunological studies have classically focused on T cells, while B cells have largely been neglected. Emerging evidence, however, highlights a role for B cells in the immunopathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B and C infections. B cell responses appear to be altered across different clinical phases of chronic HBV infection and across stages of disease in chronic HCV infection. These B cell responses show signs of a more activated state with a simultaneous enrichment of phenotypically exhausted atypical memory B cells. Despite the fact that studies show an activating B cell signature in chronic viral hepatitis infection, antibody responses to HBsAg remain impaired in chronic HBV infection, and glycoprotein E2-specific neutralizing antibody responses remain delayed in the acute phase of HCV infection. At the same time, studies have reported that a subset of HBV- and HCV-specific B cells exhibit an exhausted phenotype. This may, at least in part, explain why antibody responses in chronic HBV and HCV patients are suboptimal. Here, we summarize recent findings and discuss upcoming research questions while looking forward to how new single-cell technologies could provide novel insights into the role of B cells in chronic viral hepatitis infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zgjim Osmani
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Andre Boonstra
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Durantel D. Therapies against chronic hepatitis B infections: The times they are a-changin', but the changing is slow! Antiviral Res 2023; 210:105515. [PMID: 36603773 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
PREAMBULAR NOTA BENE As a tribute to Dr Mike Bray, the following review of literature willbe mainly based on published data andconcepts, but will also contain my personal views, and in this respect could be more considered as a bioassay. Even though a cost-effective and excellent prophylactic vaccine exists since many years to protect against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, academic-researcher/drug-developers/stakeholders are still busy with the R&D of novel therapies that could eventually have an impact on its worldwide incidence. The Taiwanese experience have univocally demonstrated the effectiveness of constrained national HBV prophylactic vaccination programs to prevent the most dramatic HBV-induced end-stage liver disease, which is hepatocellular carcinoma; but yet the number of individuals chronically infected with the virus, for whom the existing prophylactic vaccine is no longer useful, remains high, with around 300 million individuals around the globe. In this review/bioassay, recent findings and novel concepts on prospective therapies against HBV infections will be discussed; yet it does not have the pretention to be exhaustive, as "pure immunotherapeutic concepts" will be mainly let aside (or referred to other reviews) due to a lack of expertise of this writer, but also due to the lack of, or incremental, positive results in clinical trials as-off today with these approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Durantel
- Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), INSERM U1111, UMR_5308 CNRS-Université de Lyon (UCBL1), ENS de Lyon, Lyon, 69007, France.
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Sun H, Li Y, Zhang P, Xing H, Zhao S, Song Y, Wan D, Yu J. Targeting toll-like receptor 7/8 for immunotherapy: recent advances and prospectives. Biomark Res 2022; 10:89. [PMID: 36476317 PMCID: PMC9727882 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-022-00436-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a large family of proteins that are expressed in immune cells and various tumor cells. TLR7/8 are located in the intracellular endosomes, participate in tumor immune surveillance and play different roles in tumor growth. Activation of TLRs 7 and 8 triggers induction of a Th1 type innate immune response in the highly sophisticated process of innate immunity signaling with the recent research advances involving the small molecule activation of TLR 7 and 8. The wide range of expression and clinical significance of TLR7/TLR8 in different kinds of cancers have been extensively explored. TLR7/TLR8 can be used as novel diagnostic biomarkers, progression and prognostic indicators, and immunotherapeutic targets for various tumors. Although the mechanism of action of TLR7/8 in cancer immunotherapy is still incomplete, TLRs on T cells are involved in the regulation of T cell function and serve as co-stimulatory molecules and activate T cell immunity. TLR agonists can activate T cell-mediated antitumor responses with both innate and adaptive immune responses to improve tumor therapy. Recently, novel drugs of TLR7 or TLR8 agonists with different scaffolds have been developed. These agonists lead to the induction of certain cytokines and chemokines that can be applied to the treatment of some diseases and can be used as good adjutants for vaccines. Furthermore, TLR7/8 agonists as potential therapeutics for tumor-targeted immunotherapy have been developed. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in the development of immunotherapy strategies targeting TLR7/8 in patients with various cancers and chronic hepatitis B.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Sun
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Radiotherapy, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Yingmei Li
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Peng Zhang
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Thoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Haizhou Xing
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Song Zhao
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Thoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Yongping Song
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Dingming Wan
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China
| | - Jifeng Yu
- grid.412633.10000 0004 1799 0733Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052 Henan China ,grid.256922.80000 0000 9139 560XHenan International Joint Laboratory of Nuclear Protein Gene Regulation, Henan University College of Medicine, Kaifeng, 475004 Henan China
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Abstract
Barrier tissues are the primary site of infection for pathogens likely to cause future pandemics. Tissue-resident lymphocytes can rapidly detect pathogens upon infection of barrier tissues and are critical in preventing viral spread. However, most vaccines fail to induce tissue-resident lymphocytes and are instead reliant on circulating antibodies to mediate protective immunity. Circulating antibody titers wane over time following vaccination leaving individuals susceptible to breakthrough infections by variant viral strains that evade antibody neutralization. Memory B cells were recently found to establish tissue residence following infection of barrier tissues. Here, we summarize emerging evidence for the importance of tissue-resident memory B cells in the establishment of protective immunity against viral and bacterial challenge. We also discuss the role of tissue-resident memory B cells in regulating the progression of non-infectious diseases. Finally, we examine new approaches to develop vaccines capable of eliciting barrier immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changfeng Chen
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Brian J Laidlaw
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.
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9
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Yan Y, Qiu Y, Davgadorj C, Zheng C. Novel Molecular Therapeutics Targeting Signaling Pathway to Control Hepatitis B Viral Infection. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:847539. [PMID: 35252042 PMCID: PMC8894711 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.847539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous canonical cellular signaling pathways modulate hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication. HBV genome products are known to play a significant role in regulating these cellular pathways for the liver’s viral-related pathology and physiology and have been identified as the main factor in hepatocarcinogenesis. Signaling changes during viral replication ultimately affect cellular persistence, multiplication, migration, genome instability, and genome damage, leading to proliferation, evasion of apoptosis, block of differentiation, and immortality. Recent studies have documented that numerous signaling pathway agonists or inhibitors play an important role in reducing HBV replication in vitro and in vivo, and some have been used in phase I or phase II clinical trials. These optional agents as molecular therapeutics target cellular pathways that could limit the replication and transcription of HBV or inhibit the secretion of the small surface antigen of HBV in a signaling-independent manner. As principle-based available information, a combined strategy including antiviral therapy and immunomodulation will be needed to control HBV infection effectively. In this review, we summarize recent findings on interventions of molecular regulators in viral replication and the interactions of HBV proteins with the components of the various targeting cellular pathways, which may assist in designing novel agents to modulate signaling pathways to prevent HBV replication or carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Yan
- Laboratory for Infection and Immunity, Hepatology Institute of Wuxi, The Fifth People’s Hospital of Wuxi, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
- *Correspondence: Yan Yan, ; Chunfu Zheng,
| | - Yuanwang Qiu
- Laboratory for Infection and Immunity, Hepatology Institute of Wuxi, The Fifth People’s Hospital of Wuxi, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Chantsalmaa Davgadorj
- Laboratory for Infection and Immunity, Hepatology Institute of Wuxi, The Fifth People’s Hospital of Wuxi, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Chunfu Zheng
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- *Correspondence: Yan Yan, ; Chunfu Zheng,
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10
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Humoral immunity in hepatitis B virus infection: Rehabilitating the B in HBV. JHEP REPORTS : INNOVATION IN HEPATOLOGY 2022; 4:100398. [PMID: 35059620 PMCID: PMC8760517 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2021.100398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Insights into the immunopathogenesis of chronic HBV infections are fundamental in the quest for novel treatment approaches aimed at a functional cure. While much is known about the ineffective HBV-specific T-cell responses that characterise persistent HBV replication, B cells have been left largely understudied. However, an important role for humoral immunity during the natural history of HBV infections, as well as after functional cure, has been inadvertently revealed by the occurrence of HBV flares following B cell-depleting treatments. Herein, we review our current understanding of the role of the humoral immune response in chronic HBV, both at the level of HBV-specific antibody production and at the phenotypic and broader functional level of B cells. The recent development of fluorescently labelled HBV proteins has given us unprecedented insights into the phenotype and function of HBsAg- and HBcAg-specific B cells. This should fuel novel research into the mechanisms behind dysfunctional HBsAg-specific and fluctuating, possibly pathogenic, HBcAg-specific B-cell responses in chronic HBV. Finally, novel immunomodulatory treatments that partly target B cells are currently in clinical development, but a detailed assessment of their impact on HBV-specific B-cell responses is lacking. We plead for a rehabilitation of B-cell studies related to both the natural history of HBV and treatment development programmes.
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11
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van Buuren N, Ramirez R, Turner S, Chen D, Suri V, Aggarwal A, Moon C, Kim S, Kornyeyev D, Bui N, Bhardwaj N, Chan HL, Marcellin P, Buti M, Wallin J, Gaggar A, Fletcher SP, Diehl L, Li L, Mo H, Feierbach B. Characterization of the liver immune microenvironment in liver biopsies from patients with chronic HBV infection. JHEP REPORTS : INNOVATION IN HEPATOLOGY 2021; 4:100388. [PMID: 34950863 PMCID: PMC8671126 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2021.100388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Background & Aims We aim to describe the liver immune microenvironment by analyzing liver biopsies from patients with chronic HBV infection (CHB). Host immune cell signatures and their corresponding localization were characterized by analyzing the intrahepatic transcriptome in combination with a custom multiplex immunofluorescence panel. Method Matching FFPE and fresh frozen liver biopsies were collected from immune active patients within the open-label phase IV study GS-US-174-0149. RNA-Seq was conducted on 53 CHB liver biopsies from 46 patients. Twenty-eight of the 53 samples had matched FFPE biopsies and were stained with a 12-plex panel including cell segmentation, immune and viral biomarkers. Corresponding serum samples were screened using the MSD Human V-plex Screen Service to identify peripheral correlates for the immune microenvironment. Results Using unsupervised clustering of the transcriptome, we reveal two unique liver immune signatures classified as immune high and immune low based on the quantification of the liver infiltrate gene signatures. Multiplex immunofluorescence analysis demonstrated large periportal lymphoid aggregates in immune high samples consisting of CD4 and CD8 T cells, B cells and macrophages. Differentiation of the high and low immune microenvironments was independent of HBeAg status and peripheral viral antigen levels. In addition, longitudinal analysis indicates that treatment and normalization of ALT correlates with a decrease in liver immune infiltrate and inflammation. Finally, we screened a panel of peripheral biomarkers and identified ICAM-1 and CXCL10 as biomarkers that strongly correlate with these unique immune microenvironments. Conclusion These data provide a description of immune phenotypes in patients with CHB and show that immune responses are downregulated in the liver following nucleotide analogue treatment. This may have important implications for both the safety and efficacy of immune modulator programs aimed at HBV cure. Lay summary Liver biopsies from patients with chronic hepatitis B were submitted to RNA-Seq and multiplex immunofluorescence and identified two different liver immune microenvironments: immune high and immune low. Immune high patients showed elevated immune pathways, including interferon signaling pathways, and increase presence of immune cells. Longitudinal analysis of biopsies from treatment experienced patients showed that treatment correlates with a marked decrease in inflammation and these findings may have important implications for both safety and efficacy of immune modulator programs for HBV cure.
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Key Words
- ALT, alanine aminotransferase
- BCR, B-cell receptor
- CHB, chronic HBV infection
- Chronic HBV
- DEG, differentially expressed gene
- FFPE, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded
- Hepatitis B
- IHC, immunohistochemistry
- Immune Microenvironment
- Intrahepatic transcriptome
- PEG-IFNα, pegylated-interferon-α
- TCR, T-cell receptor
- TDF, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate
- TLS, tertiary lymphoid structures
- mIF, multiplex immunofluorescence
- multiplex immunofluorescence
- ssGSEA, single sample gene set enrichment analysis
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas van Buuren
- Gilead Sciences Inc. 324 Lakeside Dr., Foster City, CA, 94404, United States
| | - Ricardo Ramirez
- Gilead Sciences Inc. 324 Lakeside Dr., Foster City, CA, 94404, United States
| | - Scott Turner
- Gilead Sciences Inc. 324 Lakeside Dr., Foster City, CA, 94404, United States
| | - Diana Chen
- Gilead Sciences Inc. 324 Lakeside Dr., Foster City, CA, 94404, United States
| | - Vithika Suri
- Gilead Sciences Inc. 324 Lakeside Dr., Foster City, CA, 94404, United States
| | - Abhishek Aggarwal
- Gilead Sciences Inc. 324 Lakeside Dr., Foster City, CA, 94404, United States
| | - Christina Moon
- Gilead Sciences Inc. 324 Lakeside Dr., Foster City, CA, 94404, United States
| | - Sam Kim
- Gilead Sciences Inc. 324 Lakeside Dr., Foster City, CA, 94404, United States
| | - Dmytro Kornyeyev
- Gilead Sciences Inc. 324 Lakeside Dr., Foster City, CA, 94404, United States
| | - Nam Bui
- Gilead Sciences Inc. 324 Lakeside Dr., Foster City, CA, 94404, United States
| | - Neeru Bhardwaj
- Gilead Sciences Inc. 324 Lakeside Dr., Foster City, CA, 94404, United States.,Current address: Foundation Medicine, Cambridge, MA, 02141, United States
| | | | | | - Maria Buti
- Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jeffrey Wallin
- Gilead Sciences Inc. 324 Lakeside Dr., Foster City, CA, 94404, United States
| | - Anuj Gaggar
- Gilead Sciences Inc. 324 Lakeside Dr., Foster City, CA, 94404, United States
| | - Simon P Fletcher
- Gilead Sciences Inc. 324 Lakeside Dr., Foster City, CA, 94404, United States
| | - Lauri Diehl
- Gilead Sciences Inc. 324 Lakeside Dr., Foster City, CA, 94404, United States
| | - Li Li
- Gilead Sciences Inc. 324 Lakeside Dr., Foster City, CA, 94404, United States
| | - Hongmei Mo
- Gilead Sciences Inc. 324 Lakeside Dr., Foster City, CA, 94404, United States
| | - Becket Feierbach
- Gilead Sciences Inc. 324 Lakeside Dr., Foster City, CA, 94404, United States
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12
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Wei H, Xie H, Qu J, Xie A, Xie S, Huang H, Li J, Fang C, Shi F, Qiu H, Qi Y, Tian X, Yang Q, Huang J. TLR7 modulating B-cell immune responses in the spleen of C57BL/6 mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009943. [PMID: 34788282 PMCID: PMC8598019 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
B cells played an important role in Schistosoma infection-induced diseases. TLR7 is an intracellular member of the innate immune receptor. The role of TLR7 on B cells mediated immune response is still unclear. Here, C57BL/6 mice were percutaneously infected by S. japonicum for 5-6 weeks. The percentages and numbers of B cells increased in the infected mice (p < 0.05), and many activation and function associated molecules were also changed on B cells. More splenic cells of the infected mice expressed TLR7, and B cells were served as the main cell population. Moreover, a lower level of soluble egg antigen (SEA) specific antibody and less activation associated molecules were found on the surface of splenic B cells from S. japonicum infected TLR7 gene knockout (TLR7 KO) mice compared to infected wild type (WT) mice (p < 0.05). Additionally, SEA showed a little higher ability in inducing the activation of B cells from naive WT mice than TLR7 KO mice (p < 0.05). Finally, the effects of TLR7 on B cells are dependent on the activation of NF-κB p65. Altogether, TLR7 was found modulating the splenic B cell responses in S. japonicum infected C57BL/6 mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haixia Wei
- Key Laboratory of Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongyan Xie
- Key Laboratory of Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiale Qu
- Key Laboratory of Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Anqi Xie
- Key Laboratory of Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shihao Xie
- Key Laboratory of Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - He Huang
- Key Laboratory of Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiajie Li
- Key Laboratory of Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chao Fang
- Key Laboratory of Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Feihu Shi
- Key Laboratory of Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huaina Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanwei Qi
- Key Laboratory of Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xu Tian
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- * E-mail: (XT); (QY); (JH)
| | - Quan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- * E-mail: (XT); (QY); (JH)
| | - Jun Huang
- Key Laboratory of Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- China Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- * E-mail: (XT); (QY); (JH)
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13
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Knolle PA, Huang LR, Kosinska A, Wohlleber D, Protzer U. Improving Therapeutic Vaccination against Hepatitis B-Insights from Preclinical Models of Immune Therapy against Persistent Hepatitis B Virus Infection. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:1333. [PMID: 34835264 PMCID: PMC8623083 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9111333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis B affects more than 250 million individuals worldwide, putting them at risk of developing liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. While antiviral immune responses are key to eliminating hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections, insufficient antiviral immunity characterized by failure to eliminate HBV-infected hepatocytes is associated with chronic hepatitis B. Prophylactic vaccination against hepatitis B successfully established protective immunity against infection with the hepatitis B virus and has been instrumental in controlling hepatitis B. However, prophylactic vaccination schemes have not been successful in mounting protective immunity to eliminate HBV infections in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Here, we discuss the current knowledge on the development and efficacy of therapeutic vaccination strategies against chronic hepatitis B with particular emphasis on the pathogenetic understanding of dysfunctional anti-viral immunity. We explore the development of additional immune stimulation measures within tissues, in particular activation of immunogenic myeloid cell populations, and their use for combination with therapeutic vaccination strategies to improve the efficacy of therapeutic vaccination against chronic hepatitis B.
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Affiliation(s)
- Percy A. Knolle
- Institute of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany;
- German Center for infection Research (DZIF), Munich Site, 81675 Munich, Germany;
| | - Li-Rung Huang
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan Town, Miaoli City 350, Taiwan;
| | - Anna Kosinska
- Institute of Virology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany;
| | - Dirk Wohlleber
- Institute of Molecular Immunology and Experimental Oncology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany;
| | - Ulrike Protzer
- German Center for infection Research (DZIF), Munich Site, 81675 Munich, Germany;
- Institute of Virology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany;
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14
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Herschke F, Li C, Zhu R, Han Q, Wu Q, Lu Q, Barale-Thomas E, De Jonghe S, Lin TI, De Creus A. JNJ-64794964 (AL-034/TQ-A3334), a TLR7 agonist, induces sustained anti-HBV activity in AAV/HBV mice via non-cytolytic mechanisms. Antiviral Res 2021; 196:105196. [PMID: 34718044 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2021.105196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
JNJ-64794964 (JNJ-4964/AL-034/TQ-A3334), an oral toll-like receptor 7 agonist, is being investigated for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), a condition with a high unmet medical need. The anti-hepatitis B (HBV) activity of JNJ-4964 was assessed preclinically in an adeno-associated virus vector expressing HBV (AAV/HBV) mouse model. Mice were treated orally with 2, 6 or 20 mg/kg of JNJ-4964 once-per-week for 12 weeks and then followed up for 4 weeks. At 6 mg/kg, a partial decrease in plasma HBV-DNA and plasma hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was observed, and anti-HBs antibodies and HBsAg-specific T cells were observed in 1/8 animals. At 20 mg/kg, plasma HBV-DNA and HBsAg levels were undetectable for all animals 3 weeks after start of treatment, with no rebound observed 4 weeks after JNJ-4964 treatment was stopped. High anti-HBs antibody levels were observed until 4 weeks after JNJ-4964 treatment was stopped. In parallel, HBsAg-specific immunoglobulin G-producing B cells and interferon-γ-producing CD4+ T cells were detected in the spleen. In 2/4 animals, liver HBV-DNA and HBV-RNA levels and liver hepatitis B core antigen expression dropped 4 weeks after JNJ-4964 treatment-stop. In these animals, HBsAg-specific CD8+ T cells were detectable. Throughout the study, normal levels of alanine aminotransferase were observed, with no hepatocyte cell death (end of treatment and 4 weeks later) and minimal infiltrations of B and T cells into the liver, suggesting induction of cytokine-mediated, non-cytolytic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence Herschke
- Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, 2340, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340, Beerse, Belgium.
| | - Chris Li
- Janssen China R&D, Discovery, Shanghai, China
| | - Ren Zhu
- Janssen China R&D, Discovery, Shanghai, China
| | - Qinglin Han
- Janssen China R&D, Discovery, Shanghai, China
| | - Qun Wu
- Janssen China R&D, Discovery, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing Lu
- Janssen China R&D, Discovery, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Sandra De Jonghe
- Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, 2340, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Tse-I Lin
- Janssen Biopharma, 260 E Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA, 94080, United States
| | - An De Creus
- Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, 2340, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
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15
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Lang-Meli J, Neumann-Haefelin C, Thimme R. Immunotherapy and therapeutic vaccines for chronic HBV infection. Curr Opin Virol 2021; 51:149-157. [PMID: 34710645 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2021.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major global health burden causing severe complications like liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Curative treatment options are lacking. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new therapeutic options. Immunotherapy with the goal to restore dysfunctional HBV-specific T cell immunity is an interesting new therapeutic strategy. Based on current evidence on dysfunction of the HBV-specific CD8+ T cell response in chronic HBV infection, we will review the growing field of immunotherapeutic approaches for treatment of chronic HBV infection. The review will focus on therapies targeting T cells and will cover checkpoint inhibitors, T cell engineering, Toll-like receptor agonists and therapeutic vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Lang-Meli
- Dept. of Medicine II, Medical Center - University of Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; IMM-PACT Programm, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Neumann-Haefelin
- Dept. of Medicine II, Medical Center - University of Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Robert Thimme
- Dept. of Medicine II, Medical Center - University of Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
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16
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Cheng Z, Lin P, Cheng N. HBV/HIV Coinfection: Impact on the Development and Clinical Treatment of Liver Diseases. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:713981. [PMID: 34676223 PMCID: PMC8524435 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.713981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a common contributor to chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Approximately 10% of people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) also have chronic HBV co-infection, owing to shared transmission routes. HIV/HBV coinfection accelerates the progression of chronic HBV to cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease, or hepatocellular carcinoma compared to chronic HBV mono-infection. HBV/HIV coinfection alters the natural history of hepatitis B and renders the antiviral treatment more complex. In this report, we conducted a critical review on the epidemiology, natural history, and pathogenesis of liver diseases related to HBV/HIV coinfection. We summarized the novel therapeutic options for these coinfected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhimeng Cheng
- Department of Bile Duct Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Panpan Lin
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Nansheng Cheng
- Department of Bile Duct Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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17
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Du Y, Yang X, Li J, Sokolova V, Zou S, Han M, Yan H, Wey K, Lu M, Dittmer U, Yang D, Epple M, Wu J. Delivery of toll-like receptor 3 ligand poly(I:C) to the liver by calcium phosphate nanoparticles conjugated with an F4/80 antibody exerts an anti-hepatitis B virus effect in a mouse model. Acta Biomater 2021; 133:297-307. [PMID: 33540061 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.01.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a global health issue, but currently available anti-HBV drugs have limited success. Previously, introduction of the Toll-like receptor (TLR)-3 ligand poly(I:C) to the liver via hydrodynamic injection (HI) was shown to effectively suppress HBV replication in a chronic HBV replication mouse model. However, this method cannot be applied in human beings. To improve the liver targeting of poly(I:C) via intravenous injection, calcium phosphate nanoparticles (CPNs) carrying poly(I:C) with or without antibodies were constructed, and their anti-HBV effects were investigated. We found that significantly more anti-F4/80-conjugated and IgG2α-conjugated nanoparticles were taken up in liver cells both in vivo and in vitro. In addition, these nanoparticles produced pronounced immunostimulatory effects in vitro in primary liver cells. Importantly, treatment with nanoparticles carrying poly(I:C) increased the production of intrahepatic cytokines and chemokines and enhanced T cell responses, significantly reducing HBsAg, HBeAg and HBV DNA levels in the mice. Compared to nonconjugated and isotype-antibody-conjugated nanoparticles, the anti-F4/80-conjugated nanoparticles demonstrated the strongest anti-HBV effects. In summary, nanoparticles carrying poly(I:C) conjugated with an F4/80 antibody promoted liver targeting, and they may represent a suitable alternative to HI for future anti-HBV treatment. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: HBV chronically infects approximately 250 million individuals worldwide but current anti-HBV drugs have limited success. Introduction of toll-like receptor 3 ligand poly(I:C) into liver by hydrodynamic injection has been proven to promote HBV clearance in mouse model. However, this technique is not clinically suitable for human patients. We have constructed calcium phosphate nanoparticles carrying poly(I:C) with specific antibody targeting liver nonparenchymal cells. The uptake into relevant liver cells and the anti-HBV effects were studied. After intravenous injection into mice, the uptake rate of anti-F4/80-conjugated nanoparticels was enhanced in liver, and these nanoparticles exert effective anti-HBV effects in vivo. This may provide important insight into future HBV immunotherapy based on nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqin Du
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Avenue 1277, Wuhan 430022, P. R. China; Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen 45147, Germany
| | - Xiaoli Yang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Avenue 1277, Wuhan 430022, P. R. China
| | - Jia Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Avenue 1277, Wuhan 430022, P. R. China
| | - Viktoriya Sokolova
- Inorganic Chemistry and Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CeNIDE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen 45117, Germany
| | - Shi Zou
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Avenue 1277, Wuhan 430022, P. R. China
| | - Meihong Han
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Avenue 1277, Wuhan 430022, P. R. China
| | - Hu Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, P. R. China
| | - Karolin Wey
- Inorganic Chemistry and Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CeNIDE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen 45117, Germany
| | - Mengji Lu
- Institute for Virology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen 45122, Germany
| | - Ulf Dittmer
- Institute for Virology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen 45122, Germany
| | - Dongliang Yang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Avenue 1277, Wuhan 430022, P. R. China
| | - Matthias Epple
- Inorganic Chemistry and Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CeNIDE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen 45117, Germany
| | - Jun Wu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Avenue 1277, Wuhan 430022, P. R. China.
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18
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Kayesh MEH, Kohara M, Tsukiyama-Kohara K. Toll-Like Receptor Response to Hepatitis B Virus Infection and Potential of TLR Agonists as Immunomodulators for Treating Chronic Hepatitis B: An Overview. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:10462. [PMID: 34638802 PMCID: PMC8508807 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major global health problem. The immunopathology of the disease, especially the interplay between HBV and host innate immunity, is poorly understood. Moreover, inconsistent literature on HBV and host innate immunity has led to controversies. However, recently, there has been an increase in the number of studies that have highlighted the link between innate immune responses, including Toll-like receptors (TLRs), and chronic HBV infection. TLRs are the key sensing molecules that detect pathogen-associated molecular patterns and regulate the induction of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, thereby shaping the adaptive immunity. The suppression of TLR response has been reported in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), as well as in other models, including tree shrews, suggesting an association of TLR response in HBV chronicity. Additionally, TLR agonists have been reported to improve the host innate immune response against HBV infection, highlighting the potential of these agonists as immunomodulators for enhancing CHB treatment. In this study, we discuss the current understanding of host innate immune responses during HBV infection, particularly focusing on the TLR response and TLR agonists as immunomodulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Enamul Hoque Kayesh
- Transboundary Animal Diseases Centre, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan;
- Department of Microbiology and Public Health, Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Barishal 8210, Bangladesh
| | - Michinori Kohara
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan;
| | - Kyoko Tsukiyama-Kohara
- Transboundary Animal Diseases Centre, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan;
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19
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Li Y, Yin S, Issa R, Tong X, Wang G, Xia J, Huang R, Chen G, Weng D, Chen C, Wu C, Chen Y. B Cell-mediated Humoral Immunity in Chronic Hepatitis B Infection. J Clin Transl Hepatol 2021; 9:592-597. [PMID: 34447690 PMCID: PMC8369012 DOI: 10.14218/jcth.2021.00051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
B cell-mediated humoral immunity plays a vital role in viral infections, including chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, which remains a critical global public health issue. Despite hepatitis B surface antigen-specific antibodies are essential to eliminate viral infections, the reduced immune functional capacity of B cells was identified, which was also correlated with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) progression. In addition to B cells, T follicular helper (Tfh) cells, which assist B cells to produce antibodies, might also be involved in the process of anti-HBV-specific antibody production. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the role of various subsets of B cells and Tfh cells during CHB progression and discuss current novel treatment strategies aimed at restoring humoral immunity. Understanding the mechanism of dysregulated B cells and Tfh cells will facilitate the ultimate functional cure of CHB patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shengxia Yin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Rahma Issa
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xin Tong
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guiyang Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Juan Xia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Rui Huang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guangmei Chen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dan Weng
- School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chen Chen
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chao Wu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Correspondence to: Yuxin Chen, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5955-687X. Tel: +86-25-8968-3827, Fax: +86-25-8330-7115, E-mail: ; Wu Chao, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1657-010X. Tel: +86-25-8310-5890, Fax: +86-25-8330-7115, E-mail:
| | - Yuxin Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Correspondence to: Yuxin Chen, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5955-687X. Tel: +86-25-8968-3827, Fax: +86-25-8330-7115, E-mail: ; Wu Chao, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1657-010X. Tel: +86-25-8310-5890, Fax: +86-25-8330-7115, E-mail:
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20
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Kang W, Feng Z, Luo J, He Z, Liu J, Wu J, Rong P. Tertiary Lymphoid Structures in Cancer: The Double-Edged Sword Role in Antitumor Immunity and Potential Therapeutic Induction Strategies. Front Immunol 2021; 12:689270. [PMID: 34394083 PMCID: PMC8358404 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.689270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The complex tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a vital role in cancer development and dramatically determines the efficacy of immunotherapy. Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) within the TME are well recognized and consist of T cell-rich areas containing dendritic cells (DCs) and B cell-rich areas containing germinal centers (GCs). Accumulating research has indicated that there is a close association between tumor-associated TLSs and favorable clinical outcomes in most types of cancers, though a minority of studies have reported an association between TLSs and a poor prognosis. Overall, the double-edged sword role of TLSs in the TME and potential mechanisms need to be further investigated, which will provide novel therapeutic perspectives for antitumor immunoregulation. In this review, we focus on discussing the main functions of TLSs in the TME and recent advances in the therapeutic manipulation of TLSs through multiple strategies to enhance local antitumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendi Kang
- Department of Radiology, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhichao Feng
- Department of Radiology, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Molecular Imaging Research Center, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jianwei Luo
- Department of Radiology, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhenhu He
- Department of Radiology, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Radiology, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jianzhen Wu
- Department of Radiology, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Pengfei Rong
- Department of Radiology, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Molecular Imaging Research Center, Central South University, Changsha, China
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21
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Zhang X, Wang X, Wu M, Ghildyal R, Yuan Z. Animal Models for the Study of Hepatitis B Virus Pathobiology and Immunity: Past, Present, and Future. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:715450. [PMID: 34335553 PMCID: PMC8322840 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.715450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a global public health problem that plagues approximately 240 million people. Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) often leads to liver inflammation and aberrant repair which results in diseases ranging from liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, to hepatocellular carcinoma. Despite its narrow species tropism, researchers have established various in vivo models for HBV or its related viruses which have provided a wealth of knowledge on viral lifecycle, pathogenesis, and immunity. Here we briefly revisit over five decades of endeavor in animal model development for HBV and summarize their advantages and limitations. We also suggest directions for further improvements that are crucial for elucidation of the viral immune-evasion strategies and for development of novel therapeutics for a functional cure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaonan Zhang
- Centre for Research in Therapeutic Solutions, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia.,Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaomeng Wang
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Min Wu
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Reena Ghildyal
- Centre for Research in Therapeutic Solutions, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Zhenghong Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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22
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Qu B, Brown RJP. Strategies to Inhibit Hepatitis B Virus at the Transcript Level. Viruses 2021; 13:v13071327. [PMID: 34372533 PMCID: PMC8310268 DOI: 10.3390/v13071327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Approximately 240 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV), despite four decades of effective HBV vaccination. During chronic infection, HBV forms two distinct templates responsible for viral transcription: (1) episomal covalently closed circular (ccc)DNA and (2) host genome-integrated viral templates. Multiple ubiquitous and liver-specific transcription factors are recruited onto these templates and modulate viral gene transcription. This review details the latest developments in antivirals that inhibit HBV gene transcription or destabilize viral transcripts. Notably, nuclear receptor agonists exhibit potent inhibition of viral gene transcription from cccDNA. Small molecule inhibitors repress HBV X protein-mediated transcription from cccDNA, while small interfering RNAs and single-stranded oligonucleotides result in transcript degradation from both cccDNA and integrated templates. These antivirals mediate their effects by reducing viral transcripts abundance, some leading to a loss of surface antigen expression, and they can potentially be added to the arsenal of drugs with demonstrable anti-HBV activity. Thus, these candidates deserve special attention for future repurposing or further development as anti-HBV therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingqian Qu
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, Paul Ehrlich Institute, 63225 Langen, Germany
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Correspondence: (B.Q.); (R.J.P.B.)
| | - Richard J. P. Brown
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, Paul Ehrlich Institute, 63225 Langen, Germany
- Correspondence: (B.Q.); (R.J.P.B.)
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23
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Amin OE, Colbeck EJ, Daffis S, Khan S, Ramakrishnan D, Pattabiraman D, Chu R, Micolochick Steuer H, Lehar S, Peiser L, Palazzo A, Frey C, Davies J, Javanbakht H, Rosenberg WM, Fletcher SP, Maini MK, Pallett LJ. Therapeutic Potential of TLR8 Agonist GS-9688 (Selgantolimod) in Chronic Hepatitis B: Remodeling of Antiviral and Regulatory Mediators. Hepatology 2021; 74:55-71. [PMID: 33368377 PMCID: PMC8436741 DOI: 10.1002/hep.31695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS GS-9688 (selgantolimod) is a toll-like receptor 8 agonist in clinical development for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Antiviral activity of GS-9688 has previously been evaluated in vitro in HBV-infected hepatocytes and in vivo in the woodchuck model of CHB. Here we evaluated the potential of GS-9688 to boost responses contributing to viral control and to modulate regulatory mediators. APPROACH AND RESULTS We characterized the effect of GS-9688 on immune cell subsets in vitro in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of healthy controls and patients with CHB. GS-9688 activated dendritic cells and mononuclear phagocytes to produce IL-12 and other immunomodulatory mediators, inducing a comparable cytokine profile in healthy controls and patients with CHB. GS-9688 increased the frequency of activated natural killer (NK) cells, mucosal-associated invariant T cells, CD4+ follicular helper T cells, and, in about 50% of patients, HBV-specific CD8+ T cells expressing interferon-γ. Moreover, in vitro stimulation with GS-9688 induced NK-cell expression of interferon-γ and TNF-α, and promoted hepatocyte lysis. We also assessed whether GS-9688 inhibited immunosuppressive cell subsets that might enhance antiviral efficacy. Stimulation with GS-9688 reduced the frequency of CD4+ regulatory T cells and monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Residual MDSCs expressed higher levels of negative immune regulators, galectin-9 and programmed death-ligand 1. Conversely, GS-9688 induced an expansion of immunoregulatory TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand+ NK cells and degranulation of arginase-I+ polymorphonuclear MDSCs. CONCLUSIONS GS-9688 induces cytokines in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells that are able to activate antiviral effector function by multiple immune mediators (HBV-specific CD8+ T cells, CD4+ follicular helper T cells, NK cells, and mucosal-associated invariant T cells). Although reducing the frequency of some immunoregulatory subsets, it enhances the immunosuppressive potential of others, highlighting potential biomarkers and immunotherapeutic targets to optimize the antiviral efficacy of GS-9688.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver E. Amin
- Division of Infection & ImmunityInstitute of Immunity & TransplantationUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Emily J. Colbeck
- Division of Infection & ImmunityInstitute of Immunity & TransplantationUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | - Ruth Chu
- Gilead Sciences Inc.Foster CityCA
| | | | - Sophie Lehar
- Gilead Sciences Inc.Foster CityCA
- Present address:
Genentech Inc.South San FranciscoCA
| | - Leanne Peiser
- Gilead Sciences Inc.Foster CityCA
- Present address:
Bristol Myers SquibbSeattleWA
| | | | - Christian Frey
- Gilead Sciences Inc.Foster CityCA
- Present address:
Ideaya Biosciences Inc.South San FranciscoCA
| | - Jessica Davies
- Division of Infection & ImmunityInstitute of Immunity & TransplantationUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Hassan Javanbakht
- Gilead Sciences Inc.Foster CityCA
- Present address:
SQZ BiotechnologiesWatertownMA
| | | | | | - Mala K. Maini
- Division of Infection & ImmunityInstitute of Immunity & TransplantationUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Laura J. Pallett
- Division of Infection & ImmunityInstitute of Immunity & TransplantationUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
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24
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Huang X, Zhang X, Lu M. Recent trends in the development of Toll-like receptor 7/8-targeting therapeutics. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2021; 16:869-880. [PMID: 33678093 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2021.1898369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 and TLR8 are functionally localized to endosomes and recognize specific RNA sequences. They play crucial roles in initiating innate and adaptive immune responses. TLR7/8 activation protects the host against invading pathogens and enhances immune responses. In contrast, sustained TLR7/8 signaling leads to immune overreaction. Therefore, agonists or antagonists targeting TLR7/8 signaling are favorable drug candidates for the treatment of immune disorders.Areas covered: Basic knowledge about TLR7 and TLR8 and their signaling pathways are briefly reviewed. Various therapeutic agents have been designed to activate or antagonize TLR7/8 signaling pathways, and their safety and efficacy for the treatment of multiple diseases have been investigated in preclinical animal models and clinical trials. TLR7/8 agonists exhibit potent antiviral activity and regulate anti-tumor immune responses. TLR7 agonists have also been used as adjuvants to improve vaccine immunogenicity and generate greater seroprotection. TLR7/8 antagonists are promising candidates for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.Expert opinion: TLR7/8 pathways are favorable targets for immunological therapies. Future research should concentrate on the optimization of drug safety, efficiency, and specificity. Detailed mechanistic studies will contribute to the development of TLR7/8 immunomodulators and novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mengji Lu
- Institute of Virology, University Hospital of Essen, Essen, Germany
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25
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Burton AR, Maini MK. Human antiviral B cell responses: Emerging lessons from hepatitis B and COVID-19. Immunol Rev 2021; 299:108-117. [PMID: 33559128 PMCID: PMC8014162 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Humoral immunity is a critical component of the coordinated response required to resolve viral infections and mediate protection following pathogen clearance or vaccination. A better understanding of factors shaping the memory B cell response will allow tailored development of efficient preventative vaccines against emerging acute viral infections, therapeutic vaccines, and immunotherapies for chronic viral infections. Here, we use recent data obtained by profiling antigen-specific B cell responses in hepatitis B as a framework to explore lessons that can be learnt from different viral infections about the diverse influences on humoral immunity. Hepatitis B provides a paradigm where successful B cell responses in resolved or vaccinated individuals can be contrasted to the failed response in chronic infection, while also exemplifying the degree to which B cell responses within infected individuals can differ to two antigens from the same virus. Drawing on studies in other human and murine infections, including emerging data from COVID-19, we consider the influence of antigen quantity and structure on the quality of the B cell response, the role of differential CD4 help, the importance of germinal center vs extrafollicular responses and the emerging concept that responses residing in non-lymphoid organs can participate in B cell memory.
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26
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Daffis S, Balsitis S, Chamberlain J, Zheng J, Santos R, Rowe W, Ramakrishnan D, Pattabiraman D, Spurlock S, Chu R, Kang D, Mish M, Ramirez R, Li L, Li B, Ma S, Hung M, Voitenleitner C, Yon C, Suresh M, Menne S, Cote P, Delaney WE, Mackman R, Fletcher SP. Toll-Like Receptor 8 Agonist GS-9688 Induces Sustained Efficacy in the Woodchuck Model of Chronic Hepatitis B. Hepatology 2021; 73:53-67. [PMID: 32246499 PMCID: PMC7898792 DOI: 10.1002/hep.31255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS GS-9688 (selgantolimod) is an oral selective small molecule agonist of toll-like receptor 8 in clinical development for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. In this study, we evaluated the antiviral efficacy of GS-9688 in woodchucks chronically infected with woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV), a hepadnavirus closely related to hepatitis B virus. APPROACH AND RESULTS WHV-infected woodchucks received eight weekly oral doses of vehicle, 1 mg/kg GS-9688, or 3 mg/kg GS-9688. Vehicle and 1 mg/kg GS-9688 had no antiviral effect, whereas 3 mg/kg GS-9688 induced a >5 log10 reduction in serum viral load and reduced WHV surface antigen (WHsAg) levels to below the limit of detection in half of the treated woodchucks. In these animals, the antiviral response was maintained until the end of the study (>5 months after the end of treatment). GS-9688 treatment reduced intrahepatic WHV RNA and DNA levels by >95% in animals in which the antiviral response was sustained after treatment cessation, and these woodchucks also developed detectable anti-WHsAg antibodies. The antiviral efficacy of weekly oral dosing with 3 mg/kg GS-9688 was confirmed in a second woodchuck study. The antiviral response to GS-9688 did not correlate with systemic GS-9688 or cytokine levels but was associated with transient elevation of liver injury biomarkers and enhanced proliferative response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to WHV peptides. Transcriptomic analysis of liver biopsies taken prior to treatment suggested that T follicular helper cells and various other immune cell subsets may play a role in the antiviral response to GS-9688. CONCLUSIONS Finite, short-duration treatment with a clinically relevant dose of GS-9688 is well tolerated and can induce a sustained antiviral response in WHV-infected woodchucks; the identification of a baseline intrahepatic transcriptional signature associated with response to GS-9688 treatment provides insights into the immune mechanisms that mediate this antiviral effect.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jason Chamberlain
- Gilead Sciences, Inc.Foster CityCA,Present address:
Horizon TherapeuticsSouth San FranciscoCA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Sandra Spurlock
- Gilead Sciences, Inc.Foster CityCA,Present address:
Calithera BiosciencesSouth San FranciscoCA
| | - Ruth Chu
- Gilead Sciences, Inc.Foster CityCA
| | - Don Kang
- Gilead Sciences, Inc.Foster CityCA
| | | | | | - Li Li
- Gilead Sciences, Inc.Foster CityCA
| | - Bei Li
- Gilead Sciences, Inc.Foster CityCA
| | | | | | - Christian Voitenleitner
- Gilead Sciences, Inc.Foster CityCA,Present address:
Vaudaux‐Eppendorf AGSchönenbuchSwitzerland
| | | | | | | | - Paul Cote
- Georgetown University Medical CenterWashingtonDC
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27
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Harrison SA, Rossi SJ, Paredes AH, Trotter JF, Bashir MR, Guy CD, Banerjee R, Jaros MJ, Owers S, Baxter BA, Ling L, DePaoli AM. NGM282 Improves Liver Fibrosis and Histology in 12 Weeks in Patients With Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis. Hepatology 2020; 71:1198-1212. [PMID: 30805949 PMCID: PMC7187438 DOI: 10.1002/hep.30590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
NGM282, an engineered fibroblast growth factor 19 analogue, rapidly and significantly reduced liver fat content in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in patients with biopsy-confirmed nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). However, it is unclear whether these changes would be accompanied by histological improvement. In this open-label study, we assessed the histological efficacy of NGM282 in patients with biopsy-confirmed nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Paired liver biopsies from 43 patients who received subcutaneous NGM282 (1 mg, n = 24; 3 mg, n = 19) once daily for 12 weeks were evaluated blinded to time point, subject, and clinical information. At week 12, NGM282 significantly reduced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease activity score (NAS; -1.9; 95% confidence interval, -2.6 to -1.2; P < 0.001 in the 1 mg group; -2.2, -3.1 to -1.3; P < 0.001 in the 3 mg group) and fibrosis (-0.5; -0.9 to 0; P = 0.035 in the 3 mg group) scores. Overall, 50% and 63% of the patients receiving NGM282 1 mg or 3 mg, respectively, improved NAS by 2 or more points without fibrosis worsening. Of the patients receiving NGM282 1 mg or 3 mg, 25% and 42%, respectively, improved liver fibrosis by one stage or more without worsening of steatohepatitis. Treatment with NGM282 led to relative reductions in liver fat content (-58% and -67% in the 1 mg and 3 mg groups, respectively), corrected T1 (cT1; -8% and -9%), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (-67% and -60%), aspartate aminotransferase (-57% and -52%), and fibrogenesis biomarkers neoepitope-specific N-terminal propeptide of type III collagen (Pro-C3; -22% and -33%) and enhanced liver fibrosis score (ELF; -3% and -6%) at week 12. Greater reductions in Pro-C3, ELF, and cT1, but not in liver fat content, 7alpha-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one, or ALT, were observed in histological responders than in nonresponders. Conclusion: In this open-label study, NGM282 improved the histological features of NASH in 12 weeks with significant reductions in NAS and fibrosis scores, accompanied by improvements in noninvasive imaging and serum markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen A. Harrison
- Radcliffe Department of MedicineUniversity of OxfordUK,Pinnacle Clinical ResearchSan AntonioTX
| | | | | | - James F. Trotter
- Clinical Research and EducationTexas Digestive Disease ConsultantsDallasTX
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Lei Ling
- NGM BiopharmaceuticalsSouth San FranciscoCA
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28
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Meng Z, Chen Y, Lu M. Advances in Targeting the Innate and Adaptive Immune Systems to Cure Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection. Front Immunol 2020; 10:3127. [PMID: 32117201 PMCID: PMC7018702 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.03127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
“Functional cure” is being pursued as the ultimate endpoint of antiviral treatment in chronic hepatitis B (CHB), which is characterized by loss of HBsAg whether or not anti-HBs antibodies are present. “Functional cure” can be achieved in <10% of CHB patients with currently available therapeutic agents. The dysfunction of specific immune responses to hepatitis B virus (HBV) is considered the major cause of persistent HBV infection. Thus, modulating the host immune system to strengthen specific cellular immune reactions might help eliminate HBV. Strategies are needed to restore/enhance innate immunity and induce HBV-specific adaptive immune responses in a coordinated way. Immune and resident cells express pattern recognition receptors like TLRs and RIG I/MDA5, which play important roles in the induction of innate immunity through sensing of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and bridging to adaptive immunity for pathogen-specific immune control. TLR/RIG I agonists activate innate immune responses and suppress HBV replication in vitro and in vivo, and are being investigated in clinical trials. On the other hand, HBV-specific immune responses could be induced by therapeutic vaccines, including protein (HBsAg/preS and HBcAg), DNA, and viral vector-based vaccines. More than 50 clinical trials have been performed to assess therapeutic vaccines in CHB treatment, some of which display potential effects. Most recently, using genetic editing technology to generate CAR-T or TCR-T, HBV-specific T cells have been produced to efficiently clear HBV. This review summarizes the progress in basic and clinical research investigating immunomodulatory strategies for curing chronic HBV infection, and critically discusses the rather disappointing results of current clinical trials and future strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongji Meng
- Institute of Biomedical Research, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Yuanyuan Chen
- Institute of Biomedical Research, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Mengji Lu
- Institute of Virology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
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29
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McGowan DC. Latest Advances in Small Molecule TLR 7/8 Agonist Drug Research. Curr Top Med Chem 2019; 19:2228-2238. [DOI: 10.2174/1568026619666191009165418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 7 and 8 play an important role in the activation of innate immune
cells in mammals. These evolutionarily conserved receptors serve as important sentinels in response to
infection. Activation of TLRs 7 and 8 triggers induction of a Th1 type innate immune response. The
emergence of new structural and small molecule information generated in the last decade has contributed
enormously to our understanding of this highly sophisticated process of innate immunity signaling.
This review will focus on recent developments in the small molecule activation of TLR 7 and 8.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C. McGowan
- Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V., Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340 Beerse, Belgium
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30
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Maini MK, Burton AR. Restoring, releasing or replacing adaptive immunity in chronic hepatitis B. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2019; 16:662-675. [PMID: 31548710 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-019-0196-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Multiple new therapeutic approaches are currently being developed to achieve sustained, off-treatment suppression of HBV, a persistent hepatotropic infection that kills ~2,000 people a day. A fundamental therapeutic goal is the restoration of robust HBV-specific adaptive immune responses that are able to maintain prolonged immunosurveillance of residual infection. Here, we provide insight into key components of successful T cell and B cell responses to HBV, discussing the importance of different specificities and effector functions, local intrahepatic immunity and pathogenic potential. We focus on the parallels and interactions between T cell and B cell responses, highlighting emerging areas for future investigation. We review the potential for different immunotherapies in development to restore or release endogenous adaptive immunity by direct or indirect approaches, including limitations and risks. Finally, we consider an alternative HBV treatment strategy of replacing failed endogenous immunity with infusions of highly targeted T cells or antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mala K Maini
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Alice R Burton
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, University College London, London, UK
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31
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Li Q, Yan Y, Liu J, Huang X, Zhang X, Kirschning C, Xu HC, Lang PA, Dittmer U, Zhang E, Lu M. Toll-Like Receptor 7 Activation Enhances CD8+ T Cell Effector Functions by Promoting Cellular Glycolysis. Front Immunol 2019; 10:2191. [PMID: 31572396 PMCID: PMC6751247 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The activation of TLR7 signaling in T cells accelerates antigen-specific responses. Such responses play an essential role in eliminating viral infections and can be anti-tumorigenic. However, the underlying mechanisms of how TLR7 can promote the optimal function of CD8+ T cells remain unclear. To investigate how TLR signaling directly contributes to CD8+ T cell functions, we examine the activation of cellular TLR7-related pathways and functional and metabolic alterations in TLR7-stimulated T cells during T cell receptor (TCR) signaling. In the present study, we investigated the activation of CD8+ T cells in response to direct stimulation by TLR7 ligands. TLR7 stimulation could promote the effector functions of purified CD8+ T cells in vitro. The TLR7-induced activation of CD8+ T cells occurs if CD8+ T cells were primed by αCD3 activation and increasingly expressed TLR7. MyD88 and AKT-mTOR signaling plays a critical role in TLR7-induced T cell activation. In addition to the upregulation of immune-related genes, metabolic alterations in CD8+ T cells, including the upregulation of glucose uptake and glycolysis, occurred by TLR7 stimulation. Glycolysis was found to be regulated by the AKT-mTOR pathway and a downstream transcription factor IRF4. Blocking glycolysis by either direct glucose deprivation or modulating the mTOR pathway and IRF4 expression was found to impair T cell activation and functions. Taken together, the activation of TLR7 signaling promotes the effector functions of CD8+ T cells by enhancing cellular glycolysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Li
- Institute of Virology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Yan Yan
- Center of Clinical Laboratory, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Jia Liu
- Institute of Virology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xuan Huang
- Hepatology Unit and Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyong Zhang
- Hepatology Unit and Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Carsten Kirschning
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Haifeng C Xu
- Department of Molecular Medicine II, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Philipp A Lang
- Department of Molecular Medicine II, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Ulf Dittmer
- Institute of Virology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Ejuan Zhang
- Institute of Virology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,Mucosal Immunity Research Group, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Mengji Lu
- Institute of Virology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
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33
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Kim TH, Lee EJ, Choi JH, Yim SY, Lee S, Kang J, Lee YR, Lee HA, Choi HS, Kim ES, Keum B, Seo YS, Yim HJ, Jeen YT, Chun HJ, Lee HS, Kim CD, Woo HG, Um SH. Identification of novel susceptibility loci associated with hepatitis B surface antigen seroclearance in chronic hepatitis B. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0199094. [PMID: 29975729 PMCID: PMC6033413 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS The seroclearance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg) is regarded as a functional cure of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) although it occurs rarely. Recently, several genome-wide association studies (GWASs) revealed various genetic alterations related to the clinical course of HBV infection. However, all of these studies focused on the progression of HBV infection to chronicity and had limited application because of the heterogeneity of HBV genotypes. In the present study, we aimed to determine susceptibility genetic markers for seroclearance of HBsAg in CHB patients with a homogenous viral genotype. METHODS One hundred patients with CHB who had experienced HBsAg seroclearance before 60 years of age and another 100 with CHB showing high serum levels of HBsAg even after 60 years of age were enrolled. Extreme-phenotype GWAS was conducted using blood samples of participants. RESULTS We identified three single nucleotide polymorphisms, rs7944135 (P = 4.17 × 10-6, odds ratio [OR] = 4.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.27-7.63) at 11q12.1, rs171941 (P = 3.52×10-6, OR = 3.69, 95% CI = 2.13-6.42) at 5q14.1, and rs6462008 (P = 3.40×10-6, OR = 0.34, 95% CI = 0.22-0.54) at 7p15.2 as novel susceptibility loci associated with HBsAg seroclearance in patients with CHB. The flanking genes at these loci including MPEG1, DTX4, MTX3, and HOXA13 were suggested to have functional significance. In addition, through functional analysis, CXCL13 was also presumed to be related. CONCLUSIONS To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first GWAS regarding the seroclearance of HBsAg in CHB patients. We identify new susceptibility loci for cure of CHB, providing new insights into its pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Hyung Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Eun-Ju Lee
- Department of Physiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
| | - Ji-Hye Choi
- Department of Physiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Ajou University, Suwon, Korea
| | - Sun Young Yim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sunwon Lee
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Korea University College of Informatics, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jaewoo Kang
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Korea University College of Informatics, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yoo Ra Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Han Ah Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyuk Soon Choi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Eun Sun Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Bora Keum
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yeon Seok Seo
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyung Joon Yim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yoon Tae Jeen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hoon Jai Chun
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hong Sik Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Chang Duck Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyun Goo Woo
- Department of Physiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Ajou University, Suwon, Korea
- * E-mail: (HGW); (SHU)
| | - Soon Ho Um
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- * E-mail: (HGW); (SHU)
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Niu C, Li L, Daffis S, Lucifora J, Bonnin M, Maadadi S, Salas E, Chu R, Ramos H, Livingston CM, Beran RK, Garg AV, Balsitis S, Durantel D, Zoulim F, Delaney WE, Fletcher SP. Toll-like receptor 7 agonist GS-9620 induces prolonged inhibition of HBV via a type I interferon-dependent mechanism. J Hepatol 2018; 68:922-931. [PMID: 29247725 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2017.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2017] [Revised: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS GS-9620, an oral agonist of toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7), is in clinical development for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). GS-9620 was previously shown to induce prolonged suppression of serum viral DNA and antigens in the woodchuck and chimpanzee models of CHB. Herein, we investigated the molecular mechanisms that contribute to the antiviral response to GS-9620 using in vitro models of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. METHODS Cryopreserved primary human hepatocytes (PHH) and differentiated HepaRG (dHepaRG) cells were infected with HBV and treated with GS-9620, conditioned media from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells treated with GS-9620 (GS-9620 conditioned media [GS-9620-CM]), or other innate immune stimuli. The antiviral and transcriptional response to these agents was determined. RESULTS GS-9620 had no antiviral activity in HBV-infected PHH, consistent with low level TLR7 mRNA expression in human hepatocytes. In contrast, GS-9620-CM induced prolonged reduction of HBV DNA, RNA, and antigen levels in PHH and dHepaRG cells via a type I interferon (IFN)-dependent mechanism. GS-9620-CM did not reduce covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) levels in either cell type. Transcriptional profiling demonstrated that GS-9620-CM strongly induced various HBV restriction factors - although not APOBEC3A or the Smc5/6 complex - and indicated that established HBV infection does not modulate innate immune sensing or signaling in cryopreserved PHH. GS-9620-CM also induced expression of immunoproteasome subunits and enhanced presentation of an immunodominant viral peptide in HBV-infected PHH. CONCLUSIONS Type I IFN induced by GS-9620 durably suppressed HBV in human hepatocytes without reducing cccDNA levels. Moreover, HBV antigen presentation was enhanced, suggesting additional components of the TLR7-induced immune response played a role in the antiviral response to GS-9620 in animal models of CHB. LAY SUMMARY GS-9620 is a drug currently being tested in clinical trials for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. GS-9620 has previously been shown to suppress HBV in various animal models, but the underlying antiviral mechanisms were not completely understood. In this study, we determined that GS-9620 does not directly activate antiviral pathways in human liver cells, but can induce prolonged suppression of HBV via induction of an antiviral cytokine called interferon. However, interferon did not destroy the HBV genome, suggesting that other parts of the immune response (e.g. activation of immune cells that kill infected cells) also play an important role in the antiviral response to GS-9620.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Li Li
- Gilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, CA, USA
| | | | - Julie Lucifora
- INSERM 1052, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon 69003, France
| | - Marc Bonnin
- INSERM 1052, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon 69003, France
| | - Sarah Maadadi
- INSERM 1052, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon 69003, France
| | | | - Ruth Chu
- Gilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - David Durantel
- INSERM 1052, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon 69003, France
| | - Fabien Zoulim
- INSERM 1052, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon 69003, France; Hospices Civils de Lyon (HCl), 69002 Lyon, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 75005 Paris, France
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35
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Bengsch B, Thimme R. For whom the interferons toll - TLR7 mediated boosting of innate and adaptive immunity against chronic HBV infection. J Hepatol 2018; 68:883-886. [PMID: 29408443 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2018.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bertram Bengsch
- Department of Medicine II, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology, and Infectious Diseases, University Medical Center Freiburg, Germany; BIOSS Centre for Biological Signaling Studies, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Robert Thimme
- Department of Medicine II, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology, and Infectious Diseases, University Medical Center Freiburg, Germany.
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36
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Mohebbi A, Lorestani N, Tahamtan A, Kargar NL, Tabarraei A. An Overview of Hepatitis B Virus Surface Antigen Secretion Inhibitors. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:662. [PMID: 29675010 PMCID: PMC5895781 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Current anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) regimen do not meet ideal result due to emerging resistance strains, cytotoxicity, and unfavorable adverse effects. In chronic HBV infection, high rates of sub-viral particles (SVPs) bearing HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) is a major obstacle regarding to raise effective immune responses and subsequently virus clearance. Development of potent HBsAg secretion inhibitors would provide a better insight into HBV immunopathogenesis and therapy. Investigating new non-toxic HBsAg secretion inhibitors targeting either viral or cellular factors could restore the immune response to remove virally infected hepatocytes after inhibiting SVPs. In this study, we overview several classes of HBV inhibitors with focus on their limitations and advantages over anti-HBsAg secretion potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Mohebbi
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.,Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Nazanin Lorestani
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Alireza Tahamtan
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Niki L Kargar
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Alijan Tabarraei
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.,Infectious Disease Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
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37
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Zhang Q, Zhao B, Chen X, Song N, Wu J, Li G, Yu P, Han Y, Liu J, Qin C. GS-9620 inhibits enterovirus 71 replication mainly through the NF-κB and PI3K-AKT signaling pathways. Antiviral Res 2018; 153:39-48. [PMID: 29425831 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2018.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Revised: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Human enterovirus 71 (EV71) is the second most common cause of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), which can occur as a severe epidemic especially among children under 5-years old. New and improved treatment strategies to control EV71 infection are therefore urgently required. The heterocyclic compound GS-9620, a potent and selective agonist of Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7), has been reported to activate plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), and suppress HBV as well as HIV replication. In this study, we indicated that GS-9620 also could inhibit EV71 replication in the mouse model of EV71 infection. With three-days treatment after EV71 infection, the levels of proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines, like IFN-α, IFN-γ and MCP-1, were sharply reduced in serum compared to those without treatment. Furthermore, GS-9620 activated TLR7 in the limb muscle cells, which stimulated the NF-κB and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways. When NF-κB or PI3K/AKT inhibitors were used, the antiviral effect of the GS-9620 was impacted. Overall, our data implied GS-9620 probably activates NF-κB and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways to clear the virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Zhang
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) & Comparative Medicine Centre, Peking Union Medical Collage (PUMC) & Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China
| | - Binbin Zhao
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) & Comparative Medicine Centre, Peking Union Medical Collage (PUMC) & Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China
| | - Xin Chen
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) & Comparative Medicine Centre, Peking Union Medical Collage (PUMC) & Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China
| | - Nan Song
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) & Comparative Medicine Centre, Peking Union Medical Collage (PUMC) & Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China
| | - Jing Wu
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) & Comparative Medicine Centre, Peking Union Medical Collage (PUMC) & Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China
| | - Guangchao Li
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) & Comparative Medicine Centre, Peking Union Medical Collage (PUMC) & Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China
| | - Pin Yu
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) & Comparative Medicine Centre, Peking Union Medical Collage (PUMC) & Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China
| | - Yunlin Han
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) & Comparative Medicine Centre, Peking Union Medical Collage (PUMC) & Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China
| | - Jiangning Liu
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) & Comparative Medicine Centre, Peking Union Medical Collage (PUMC) & Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China.
| | - Chuan Qin
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) & Comparative Medicine Centre, Peking Union Medical Collage (PUMC) & Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China.
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