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Kasianchuk N, Dobrowolska K, Harkava S, Bretcan A, Zarębska-Michaluk D, Jaroszewicz J, Flisiak R, Rzymski P. Gene-Editing and RNA Interference in Treating Hepatitis B: A Review. Viruses 2023; 15:2395. [PMID: 38140636 PMCID: PMC10747710 DOI: 10.3390/v15122395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The hepatitis B virus (HBV) continues to cause substantial health and economic burdens, and its target of elimination may not be reached in 2030 without further efforts in diagnostics, non-pharmaceutical prevention measures, vaccination, and treatment. Current therapeutic options in chronic HBV, based on interferons and/or nucleos(t)ide analogs, suppress the virus replication but do not eliminate the pathogen and suffer from several constraints. This paper reviews the progress on biotechnological approaches in functional and definitive HBV treatments, including gene-editing tools, i.e., zinc-finger proteins, transcription activator-like effector nucleases, and CRISPR/Cas9, as well as therapeutics based on RNA interference. The advantages and challenges of these approaches are also discussed. Although the safety and efficacy of gene-editing tools in HBV therapies are yet to be demonstrated, they show promise for the revitalization of a much-needed advance in the field and offer viral eradication. Particular hopes are related to CRISPR/Cas9; however, therapeutics employing this system are yet to enter the clinical testing phases. In contrast, a number of candidates based on RNA interference, intending to confer a functional cure, have already been introduced to human studies. However, larger and longer trials are required to assess their efficacy and safety. Considering that prevention is always superior to treatment, it is essential to pursue global efforts in HBV vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadiia Kasianchuk
- Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | | | - Sofiia Harkava
- Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Regional Branch in Dnipro, 49000 Dnipro, Ukraine;
| | - Andreea Bretcan
- National College “Ienăchiță Văcărescu”, 130016 Târgoviște, Romania;
| | - Dorota Zarębska-Michaluk
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Allergology, Jan Kochanowski University, 25-317 Kielce, Poland;
| | - Jerzy Jaroszewicz
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 41-902 Bytom, Poland;
| | - Robert Flisiak
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Białystok, 15-540 Białystok, Poland;
| | - Piotr Rzymski
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-806 Poznań, Poland
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Xie Y, Li M, Ou X, Zheng S, Gao Y, Xu X, Yang Y, Ma A, Li J, Nan Y, Zheng H, Liu J, Wei L, Feng B. Lower end of treatment HBsAg and HBcrAg were associated with HBsAg loss after nucleos(t)ide analog cessation. BMC Gastroenterol 2023; 23:224. [PMID: 37386460 DOI: 10.1186/s12876-023-02852-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss is rarely achieved with nucleos(t)ide analog (NA) treatment, most patients require life-long NA treatment. Previous studies have shown that some patients remain virologically responsive even after NA cessation. However, there is still controversy surrounding whether NA discontinuation increases the HBsAg loss rate. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the cumulative rate of HBsAg loss and identify the predictors of HBsAg loss after NA discontinuation. METHODS This multicenter prospective study included HBV e antigen (HBeAg)-positive patients without cirrhosis from 12 hospitals in China who met the inclusion criteria. The enrolled patients stopped NA and were followed up with clinical and laboratory assessments every 3 months for 24 months after NA cessation or until clinical relapse (CR) occurred. RESULTS Overall, 158 patients were classified into two groups. Group A included patients with HBsAg positivity at NA cessation (n = 139), and Group B included patients with HBsAg negativity at NA cessation (n = 19). In Group A, the 12-month and 24-month cumulative rates of HBsAg loss were4.3%and 9.4%, respectively. End of treatment (EOT) HBsAg (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.152, P < 0.001) and EOT hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg) (HR = 0.257, P = 0.001) were associated with HBsAg loss. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for EOT HBsAg and HBcrAg levels were 0.952 (P < 0.001) and 0.765 (P < 0.001), respectively. Patients with EOT HBsAg ≤ 135 IU/mL (59.2% vs. 1.3%, P < 0.001) or HBcrAg ≤ 3.6 logU/mL (17% vs. 5.4%, P = 0.027) had a higher 24-month cumulative HBsAg loss rate. In Group B, none of the patients experienced virological relapse after NA cessation. Only 1 (5.3%) patient had HBsAg reversion. CONCLUSIONS EOT HBsAg ≤ 135 IU/mL or HBcrAg ≤ 3.6 logU/mL can be used to identify patients with a higher likelihood of HBsAg loss after NA cessation. Patients with HBsAg negativity after NA cessation have favorable clinical outcomes, and HBsAg loss was durable in most cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yandi Xie
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Hepatitis C and Immunotherapy for Liver Diseases, Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Hepatology Institute, Beijing International Cooperation Base for Science and Technology on NAFLD Diagnosis, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Minghui Li
- Department of Hepatology Division, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100015, China
| | - Xiaojuan Ou
- Liver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Sujun Zheng
- Complicated Liver Diseases and Artificial Liver Treatment and Training Center, Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Liver Failure and Artificial Liver Treatment and Research, Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Yinjie Gao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Fifth Medical Center, General Hospital of PLA, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Xu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Ying Yang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Hospital of Xingtai, Xingtai, Hebei, 054001, China
| | - Anlin Ma
- Department of Infectious Disease, Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Jia Li
- Department of Liver Disease, Tianjin Second People's Hospital, Tianjin, 300192, China
| | - Yuemin Nan
- Department of Traditional and Western Medical Hepatology, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050051, China
| | - Huanwei Zheng
- Department of Liver Disease, Shijiazhuang Fifth Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050021, China
| | - Juan Liu
- Research Center for Technologies in Nucleic Acid-Based Diagnostics, Changsha, Hunan, 410205, China
| | - Lai Wei
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Disease, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 102218, China
| | - Bo Feng
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Hepatitis C and Immunotherapy for Liver Diseases, Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Hepatology Institute, Beijing International Cooperation Base for Science and Technology on NAFLD Diagnosis, Beijing, 100044, China.
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Muacevic A, Adler JR, Ratna P, Sarker A, Ramesh AS, Munoz C, Jamil D, Tran HHV, Mansoor M, Khan S. A Systematic Review on Current Trends in the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis B to Predict Disease Remission and Relapse. Cureus 2022; 14:e32247. [PMID: 36620830 PMCID: PMC9814228 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.32247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite decreasing the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), it is still a major health care challenge. Current antiviral regimens aim to suppress hepatitis B virus (HBV) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) activity to prevent the risk of hepatic decompensation, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Currently, pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN) and nucleos(t)ide analogs (NA) are the first-line choices of drugs. Peg-IFN is now discontinued due to its mode of application and side effects. NA is used once daily to suppress HBV DNA activity but has little effect on covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), so continuous long-term therapy is required to suppress HBV DNA. Due to this effect, disease remission, relapse, and even clinical flare are common phenomena after the end of treatment (EOT). This review aimed to analyze the current regimens for treating chronic hepatitis B. Their mode of action, duration of treatment, and events after stopping therapy. The review was performed using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines. A search was undertaken in PubMed, PubMed Central, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect. Screening of articles was carried out to find relevant and appropriate articles. Articles were then quality-checked before inclusion. Our analysis showed that long-term finite therapy with nucleoside analogs could improve clinical outcomes and suppress viral DNA activity. However, a functional cure, loss of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), is rarely achieved. The decision to end treatment depends on quantitative HBsAg level (qHBsAg), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), HBV DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), and fibrosis assessment. It is concluded that patients with HBeAg negative without cirrhosis can be easily withdrawn from treatment if they have long-term viral remission and a high HBsAg loss rate. However, patients with positive HBeAg should continue treatment because there is a high chance of disease relapse and even acute flare. To predict whether patients will benefit from EOT, some immunomodulatory markers are studied, including interleukin (IL-20, IL-8), fas ligand (FASGL), and IFN gamma. Although these factors are reliable, none pose an independent effect on disease remission. Combination therapy (IFN alpha + oral nucleoside analogs) is promising but has clinical shortcomings.
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Tseng C, Chen T, Wu J, Lee T, Borghi JA, Lin J, Nguyen MH, Hsu Y. Serious adverse events after cessation of nucleos(t)ide analogues in individuals with chronic hepatitis B: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JHEP Rep 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2022.100617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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