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Fletcher SP, Chin DJ, Gruenbaum L, Bitter H, Rasmussen E, Ravindran P, Swinney DC, Birzele F, Schmucki R, Lorenz SH, Kopetzki E, Carter J, Triyatni M, Thampi LM, Yang J, AlDeghaither D, Murredu MG, Cote P, Menne S. Intrahepatic Transcriptional Signature Associated with Response to Interferon-α Treatment in the Woodchuck Model of Chronic Hepatitis B. PLoS Pathog 2015; 11:e1005103. [PMID: 26352406 PMCID: PMC4564242 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2015] [Accepted: 07/21/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Recombinant interferon-alpha (IFN-α) is an approved therapy for chronic hepatitis B (CHB), but the molecular basis of treatment response remains to be determined. The woodchuck model of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection displays many characteristics of human disease and has been extensively used to evaluate antiviral therapeutics. In this study, woodchucks with chronic woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) infection were treated with recombinant woodchuck IFN-α (wIFN-α) or placebo (n = 12/group) for 15 weeks. Treatment with wIFN-α strongly reduced viral markers in the serum and liver in a subset of animals, with viral rebound typically being observed following cessation of treatment. To define the intrahepatic cellular and molecular characteristics of the antiviral response to wIFN-α, we characterized the transcriptional profiles of liver biopsies taken from animals (n = 8-12/group) at various times during the study. Unexpectedly, this revealed that the antiviral response to treatment did not correlate with intrahepatic induction of the majority of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) by wIFN-α. Instead, treatment response was associated with the induction of an NK/T cell signature in the liver, as well as an intrahepatic IFN-γ transcriptional response and elevation of liver injury biomarkers. Collectively, these data suggest that NK/T cell cytolytic and non-cytolytic mechanisms mediate the antiviral response to wIFN-α treatment. In summary, by studying recombinant IFN-α in a fully immunocompetent animal model of CHB, we determined that the immunomodulatory effects, but not the direct antiviral activity, of this pleiotropic cytokine are most closely correlated with treatment response. This has important implications for the rational design of new therapeutics for the treatment of CHB.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antiviral Agents/administration & dosage
- Antiviral Agents/adverse effects
- Antiviral Agents/metabolism
- Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use
- Biomarkers/blood
- Biomarkers/metabolism
- Biopsy
- Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
- Gene Expression Profiling
- Hepatitis B Virus, Woodchuck/drug effects
- Hepatitis B Virus, Woodchuck/immunology
- Hepatitis B, Chronic/drug therapy
- Hepatitis B, Chronic/metabolism
- Hepatitis B, Chronic/veterinary
- Hepatitis B, Chronic/virology
- Immunity, Cellular/drug effects
- Immunologic Factors/administration & dosage
- Immunologic Factors/genetics
- Immunologic Factors/metabolism
- Immunologic Factors/therapeutic use
- Interferon-alpha/administration & dosage
- Interferon-alpha/genetics
- Interferon-alpha/metabolism
- Interferon-alpha/therapeutic use
- Killer Cells, Natural/drug effects
- Killer Cells, Natural/immunology
- Killer Cells, Natural/metabolism
- Killer Cells, Natural/pathology
- Liver/immunology
- Liver/metabolism
- Liver/pathology
- Liver/virology
- Male
- Marmota
- Recombinant Proteins/administration & dosage
- Recombinant Proteins/adverse effects
- Recombinant Proteins/metabolism
- Recombinant Proteins/therapeutic use
- T-Lymphocytes/drug effects
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- T-Lymphocytes/pathology
- Transcription, Genetic
- Viral Load/drug effects
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon P. Fletcher
- Pharma Research & Early Development, Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., Nutley, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Daniel J. Chin
- Pharma Research & Early Development, Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., Nutley, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Lore Gruenbaum
- Pharma Research & Early Development, Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., Nutley, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Hans Bitter
- Pharma Research & Early Development, Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., Nutley, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Erik Rasmussen
- Pharma Research & Early Development, Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., Nutley, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Palanikumar Ravindran
- Pharma Research & Early Development, Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., Nutley, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - David C. Swinney
- Pharma Research & Early Development, Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., Nutley, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Fabian Birzele
- Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Penzberg, Penzberg, Germany
| | - Roland Schmucki
- Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stefan H. Lorenz
- Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Penzberg, Penzberg, Germany
| | - Erhard Kopetzki
- Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Penzberg, Penzberg, Germany
| | - Jade Carter
- Pharma Research & Early Development, Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., Nutley, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Miriam Triyatni
- Roche Pharma Research & Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Linta M. Thampi
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
| | - Junming Yang
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
| | - Dalal AlDeghaither
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
| | - Marta G. Murredu
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
| | - Paul Cote
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
| | - Stephan Menne
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
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Ohtaki H, Ito H, Ando K, Ishikawa T, Hoshi M, Ando T, Takamatsu M, Hara A, Moriwaki H, Saito K, Seishima M. Kynurenine production mediated by indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase aggravates liver injury in HBV-specific CTL-induced fulminant hepatitis. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2014; 1842:1464-71. [PMID: 24768802 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2014.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2013] [Revised: 04/11/2014] [Accepted: 04/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), an enzyme that is ubiquitously distributed in mammalian tissues and cells, converts tryptophan to kynurenine, and is also known as a key molecule that promotes apoptosis in lymphocytes and neurons. In this study, we established hepatitis B virus (HBV)-transgenic (Tg)/IDO-knockout (KO) mice and examined the influence of IDO in a murine fulminant hepatitis model induced by HBV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). An increase of IDO expression in the livers of HBV-Tg/IDO-wild-type (WT) mice administered HBV-specific CTL was confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and evaluating IDO activity. Plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in HBV-Tg/IDO-KO mice after HBV-specific CTL injection significantly decreased compared with those in HBV-Tg/IDO-WT mice. An inhibitor of IDO, 1-methyl-d-tryptophan (1-MT), could also attenuated the observed liver injury induced by this HBV-specific CTL. The expression levels of cytokine and chemokine mRNAs in the livers of HBV-Tg/IDO-WT mice were higher than those in the livers of HBV-Tg/IDO-KO mice. The administration of kynurenine aggravated the liver injury in HBV-Tg/IDO-KO mice injected with HBV-specific CTL. Simultaneous injection of recombinant murine interferon (IFN-γ) and kynurenine also increased the ALT levels in HBV-Tg/IDO-KO mice. The liver injury induced by IFN-γ and kynurenine was improved in HBV-Tg/tumor necrosis factor-α-KO mice. CONCLUSION Kynurenine and IFN-γ induced by the administration with HBV-specific CTL are cooperatively involved in the progression of liver injury in acute hepatitis model. Our results may lead to a new therapy for the acute liver injury caused by HBV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirofumi Ohtaki
- Department of Informative Clinical Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1194, Japan
| | - Hiroyasu Ito
- Department of Informative Clinical Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1194, Japan.
| | - Kazuki Ando
- Department of Informative Clinical Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1194, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Ishikawa
- Department of Medical Technology, Nagoya University School of Health Sciences, 1-20 Daikominami-1-chome, Higashi-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 461-8673, Japan
| | - Masato Hoshi
- Department of Informative Clinical Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1194, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Ando
- Department of Informative Clinical Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1194, Japan
| | - Manabu Takamatsu
- Department of Pathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1194, Japan
| | - Akira Hara
- Department of Pathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1194, Japan
| | - Hisataka Moriwaki
- First Department of Internal Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1194, Japan
| | - Kuniaki Saito
- Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Seishima
- Department of Informative Clinical Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1194, Japan
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Fletcher SP, Chin DJ, Cheng DT, Ravindran P, Bitter H, Gruenbaum L, Cote PJ, Ma H, Klumpp K, Menne S. Identification of an intrahepatic transcriptional signature associated with self-limiting infection in the woodchuck model of hepatitis B. Hepatology 2013; 57:13-22. [PMID: 22806943 PMCID: PMC3525799 DOI: 10.1002/hep.25954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2012] [Accepted: 06/30/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED The woodchuck model of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection displays many characteristics of human infection and has particular value for characterizing the host immune responses during the development of chronic infection. Using the newly developed custom woodchuck microarray platform, we compared the intrahepatic transcriptional profiles of neonatal woodchucks with self-limiting woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) infection to those woodchucks progressing to persistent WHV infection. This revealed that WHV does not induce significant intrahepatic gene expression changes during the early-acute stage of infection (8 weeks), suggesting it is a stealth virus. At the mid-acute phase of infection (14 weeks), resolution was associated with induction of a prominent cytotoxic T-cell signature. Strikingly, this was accompanied by high-level expression of PD-1 and various other inhibitory T-cell receptors, which likely act to minimize liver damage by cytotoxic T cells during viral clearance. In contrast to the expression of perforin and other cytotoxic effector genes, the interferon-γ (IFN-γ) signaling response in the mid-acute phase was comparable to that in chronically infected adult animals. The absence of a strong IFN-α/β transcriptional response indicated that type I IFN is not a critical mediator of self-limiting infection. Nevertheless, a number of antiviral genes, including viperin, were differentially expressed during resolving infection, suggesting that a subset of IFN-stimulated genes (ISG) may play a role in the control of WHV replication. CONCLUSION We identified new immune pathways associated with the clearance of hepadnavirus infection revealing novel molecular targets with potential for the therapeutic treatment of chronic hepatitis B.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon P. Fletcher
- Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., 340 Kingsland Street, Nutley, NJ 07006, USA
| | - Daniel J. Chin
- Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., 340 Kingsland Street, Nutley, NJ 07006, USA
| | - Donavan T. Cheng
- Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., 340 Kingsland Street, Nutley, NJ 07006, USA
| | | | - Hans Bitter
- Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., 340 Kingsland Street, Nutley, NJ 07006, USA
| | - Lore Gruenbaum
- Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., 340 Kingsland Street, Nutley, NJ 07006, USA
| | - Paul J. Cote
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Medical-Dental Building, 3900 Reservoir Road, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Han Ma
- Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., 340 Kingsland Street, Nutley, NJ 07006, USA
| | - Klaus Klumpp
- Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., 340 Kingsland Street, Nutley, NJ 07006, USA
| | - Stephan Menne
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Medical-Dental Building, 3900 Reservoir Road, Washington, DC 20057, USA
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Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase mediates the antiviral effect of gamma interferon against hepatitis B virus in human hepatocyte-derived cells. J Virol 2010; 85:1048-57. [PMID: 21084489 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01998-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Alpha interferon (IFN-α) is an approved medication for chronic hepatitis B. Gamma interferon (IFN-γ) is a key mediator of host innate and adaptive antiviral immunity against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in vivo. In an effort to elucidate the antiviral mechanism of these cytokines, 37 IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs), which are highly inducible in hepatocytes, were tested for their ability to inhibit HBV replication upon overexpression in human hepatoma cells. One ISG candidate, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), an IFN-γ-induced enzyme catalyzing tryptophan degradation, efficiently reduced the level of intracellular HBV DNA without altering the steady-state level of viral RNA. Furthermore, expression of an enzymatically inactive IDO mutant did not inhibit HBV replication, and tryptophan supplementation in culture completely restored HBV replication in IDO-expressing cells, indicating that the antiviral effect elicited by IDO is mediated by tryptophan deprivation. Interestingly, IDO-mediated tryptophan deprivation preferentially inhibited viral protein translation and genome replication but did not significantly alter global cellular protein synthesis. Finally, tryptophan supplementation was able to completely restore HBV replication in IFN-γ- but not IFN-α-treated cells, which strongly argues that IDO is the primary mediator of IFN-γ-elicited antiviral response against HBV in human hepatocyte-derived cells.
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The woodchuck: a model for therapeutic vaccination against hepadnaviral infection. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010; 58:308-14. [PMID: 20646874 DOI: 10.1016/j.patbio.2010.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2010] [Accepted: 04/16/2010] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Interferon-alpha and nucleoside analogues are available for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection but do not lead to a satisfactory result. New findings about the immunological control of HBV during acute infection suggest the pivotal role of T-cell mediated immune responses. Several preclinical and clinical trials were undertaken to explore the possibility of stimulating specific immune responses in chronically infected animals and patients by vaccination. However, vaccination with commercially available HBV vaccines in patients and immunization in woodchucks with core or surface proteins of woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) did not result in effective control of HBV and WHV infection, suggesting that new formulations of therapeutic vaccines are needed. Some new approaches combining antiviral treatments with nucleoside analogues, DNA vaccines and protein vaccines were tested in the woodchuck model. It could be shown that therapeutic vaccinations are able to stimulate specific B- and T-cell responses and to achieve transient suppression of viral replication. These results suggest the great potential of therapeutic vaccination in combination with antivirals to reach an effective and sustained control of HBV infection.
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Menne S, Cote PJ. The woodchuck as an animal model for pathogenesis and therapy of chronic hepatitis B virus infection. World J Gastroenterol 2007; 13:104-24. [PMID: 17206759 PMCID: PMC4065868 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i1.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
This review describes the woodchuck and the woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) as an animal model for pathogenesis and therapy of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and disease in humans. The establishment of woodchuck breeding colonies, and use of laboratory-reared woodchucks infected with defined WHV inocula, have enhanced our understanding of the virology and immunology of HBV infection and disease pathogenesis, including major sequelae like chronic hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The role of persistent WHV infection and of viral load on the natural history of infection and disease progression has been firmly established along the way. More recently, the model has shed new light on the role of host immune responses in these natural processes, and on how the immune system of the chronic carrier can be manipulated therapeutically to reduce or delay serious disease sequelae through induction of the recovery phenotype. The woodchuck is an outbred species and is not well defined immunologically due to a limitation of available host markers. However, the recent development of several key host response assays for woodchucks provides experimental opportunities for further mechanistic studies of outcome predictors in neonatal- and adult-acquired infections. Understanding the virological and immunological mechanisms responsible for resolution of self-limited infection, and for the onset and maintenance of chronic infection, will greatly facilitate the development of successful strategies for the therapeutic eradication of established chronic HBV infection. Likewise, the results of drug efficacy and toxicity studies in the chronic carrier woodchucks are predictive for responses of patients chronically infected with HBV. Therefore, chronic WHV carrier woodchucks provide a well-characterized mammalian model for preclinical evaluation of the safety and efficacy of drug candidates, experimental therapeutic vaccines, and immunomodulators for the treatment and prevention of HBV disease sequelae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Menne
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Medical Center, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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Parvez MK, Sehgal D, Sarin SK, Basir SF, Jameel S. Inhibition of hepatitis B virus DNA replicative intermediate forms by recombinant interferon-γ. World J Gastroenterol 2006; 12:3006-14. [PMID: 16718779 PMCID: PMC4124373 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i19.3006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM: To evaluate the in vitro anti-HBV activity of recombinant human IFN-γ, alone and in combination with lamivudine.
METHODS: A recombinant baculovirus-HBV/HepG2 culture system was developed which could support productive HBV infection in vitro. Expression of HBsAg and HBeAg in infected HepG2 culture medium was detected by commercial enzyme immunoassays. HBV DNA replication intermediates were detected in infected cells by Southern hybridization and viral DNA load was determined by dot hybridization.
RESULTS: IFN-γ at 0.1 to 5 μg/L efficiently down regulated HBsAg expression in transduced HepG2 cells. At 5 μg/L, IFN-γ also suppressed HBV DNA replication in these cells. While treatment with a combination of lamivudine and IFN-γ showed no additive effect, sequential treatment first with lamivudine and then IFN-γ was found to be promising. In this culture system the best HBV suppression was observed with a pulse of 2 μmol/L lamivudine for two days, followed by 1 μg/L IFN-γ for another four days. Compared to treatment with lamivudine alone, the sequential use of 0.2 μmol/L lamivudine for two days, followed by 5 μg/L IFN-γ for six days showed a 72% reduction in HBV cccDNA pool.
CONCLUSION: This in vitro study warrants further evaluation of a combination of IFN-γ and lamivudine, especially in IFN-α non-responder chronic hepatitis B patients. A reduced duration of lamivudine treatment would also restrict the emergence of drug-resistant HBV mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad-Khalid Parvez
- Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, Virology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
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