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Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a leading cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality through chronic hepatitis that may progress to liver cirrhosis and cancer. The central role played by HBV-specific CD8+ T cells in the clearance of acute HBV infection, and HBV-related liver injury is now well established. Vigorous, multifunctional CD8+ T cell responses are usually induced in most adult-onset HBV infections, while chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is characterized by quantitatively and qualitatively weak HBV-specific CD8+ T cell responses. The molecular basis of this dichotomy is poorly understood. Genomic analysis of dysfunctional HBV-specific CD8+ T cells in CHB patients and various mouse models suggest that multifaceted mechanisms including negative signaling and metabolic abnormalities cooperatively establish CD8+ T cell dysfunction. Immunoregulatory cell populations in the liver, including liver resident dendritic cells (DCs), hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), may contribute to intrahepatic CD8+ T cell dysfunction through the production of soluble mediators, such as arginase, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and suppressive cytokines and the expression of co-inhibitory molecules. A series of recent studies with mouse models of HBV infection suggest that genetic and epigenetic changes in dysfunctional CD8+ T cells are the manifestation of prolonged antigenic stimulation, as well as the absence of co-stimulatory or cytokine signaling. These new findings may provide potential new targets for immunotherapy aiming at invigorating HBV-specific CD8+ T cells, which hopefully cures CHB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Baudi
- Department of Virology and Liver Unit, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Keigo Kawashima
- Department of Virology and Liver Unit, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Masanori Isogawa
- Research Center for Drug and Vaccine Development, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
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Baudi I, Isogawa M, Moalli F, Onishi M, Kawashima K, Ishida Y, Tateno C, Sato Y, Harashima H, Ito H, Ishikawa T, Wakita T, Iannacone M, Tanaka Y. Interferon signaling suppresses the unfolded protein response and induces cell death in hepatocytes accumulating hepatitis B surface antigen. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009228. [PMID: 33979382 PMCID: PMC8143404 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Virus infection, such as hepatitis B virus (HBV), occasionally causes endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The unfolded protein response (UPR) is counteractive machinery to ER stress, and the failure of UPR to cope with ER stress results in cell death. Mechanisms that regulate the balance between ER stress and UPR are poorly understood. Type 1 and type 2 interferons have been implicated in hepatic flares during chronic HBV infection. Here, we examined the interplay between ER stress, UPR, and IFNs using transgenic mice that express hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) (HBs-Tg mice) and humanized-liver chimeric mice infected with HBV. IFNα causes severe and moderate liver injury in HBs-Tg mice and HBV infected chimeric mice, respectively. The degree of liver injury is directly correlated with HBsAg levels in the liver, and reduction of HBsAg in the transgenic mice alleviates IFNα mediated liver injury. Analyses of total gene expression and UPR biomarkers' protein expression in the liver revealed that UPR is induced in HBs-Tg mice and HBV infected chimeric mice, indicating that HBsAg accumulation causes ER stress. Notably, IFNα administration transiently suppressed UPR biomarkers before liver injury without affecting intrahepatic HBsAg levels. Furthermore, UPR upregulation by glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) suppression or low dose tunicamycin alleviated IFNα mediated liver injury. These results suggest that IFNα induces ER stress-associated cell death by reducing UPR. IFNγ uses the same mechanism to exert cytotoxicity to HBsAg accumulating hepatocytes. Collectively, our data reveal a previously unknown mechanism of IFN-mediated cell death. This study also identifies UPR as a potential target for regulating ER stress-associated cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Baudi
- Department of Virology and Liver Unit, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Masanori Isogawa
- Department of Virology and Liver Unit, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
- Research Center for Drug and Vaccine Development, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Federica Moalli
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Masaya Onishi
- Department of Virology and Liver Unit, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
- Department of Gastroenterology/Internal Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
| | - Keigo Kawashima
- Department of Virology and Liver Unit, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Yuji Ishida
- Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
- PhoenixBio Co., Ltd., Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Chise Tateno
- Research Center for Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
- PhoenixBio Co., Ltd., Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Yusuke Sato
- Laboratory for Molecular Design of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Hideyoshi Harashima
- Laboratory for Molecular Design of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Hiroyasu Ito
- Department of Joint Research Laboratory of Clinical Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Ishikawa
- Department of Integrated Health Sciences, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Takaji Wakita
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Matteo Iannacone
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Yasuhito Tanaka
- Department of Virology and Liver Unit, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
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Kawashima K, Isogawa M, Onishi M, Baudi I, Saito S, Nakajima A, Fujita T, Tanaka Y. Restoration of type I interferon signaling in intrahepatically primed CD8+ T cells promotes functional differentiation. JCI Insight 2021; 6:145761. [PMID: 33400688 PMCID: PMC7934883 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.145761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus–specific (HBV-specific) CD8+ T cells fail to acquire effector functions after priming in the liver, but the molecular basis for the dysfunction is poorly understood. By comparing the gene expression profile of intrahepatically primed, dysfunctional HBV-specific CD8+ T cells with that of systemically primed, functional effector counterparts, we found that the expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) is selectively suppressed in the dysfunctional CD8+ T cells. The ISG suppression was associated with impaired phosphorylation of STAT1 in response to IFN-α treatment. Importantly, a strong induction of type I interferons (IFN-Is) in the liver facilitated the functional differentiation of intrahepatically primed HBV-specific CD8+ T cells in association with the restoration of ISGs’ expression in the T cells. These results suggest that intrahepatic priming suppresses IFN-I signaling in CD8+ T cells, which may contribute to the dysfunction. The data also suggest a therapeutic value of the robust induction of intrahepatic IFN-Is for the treatment of chronic HBV infection. Functional defects of hepatitis B virus–specific CD8+ T cells correlate with impairment of type I interferon signaling after intrahepatic priming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keigo Kawashima
- Department of Virology and Liver Unit, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Masanori Isogawa
- Department of Virology and Liver Unit, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan.,Department of Immunology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaya Onishi
- Department of Virology and Liver Unit, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan.,Department of Gastroenterology/Internal Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
| | - Ian Baudi
- Department of Virology and Liver Unit, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Satoru Saito
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Atsushi Nakajima
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Takashi Fujita
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Science, and.,Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Immunology, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yasuhito Tanaka
- Department of Virology and Liver Unit, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
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Baudi I, Iijima S, Chin'ombe N, Mtapuri-Zinyowera S, Murakami S, Isogawa M, Hachiya A, Iwatani Y, Tanaka Y. Molecular epidemiology of co-infection with hepatitis B virus and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among adult patients in Harare, Zimbabwe. J Med Virol 2016; 89:257-266. [PMID: 27458715 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.24641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of co-infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the genetic characteristics of both viruses among pre-HIV-treatment patients in Harare, Zimbabwe. This cross-sectional survey involved 176 remnant plasma samples collected from consenting HIV patients (median age 35 [18-74]) between June and September 2014. HBV seromarkers were determined by high-sensitivity chemiluminescence assays. Molecular evolutionary analyses were conducted on the basal core promoter/precore (BCP/PC) and S regions of HBV, as well as part of the HIV pol region. Of the 176 participants (65.7% female), 19 (10.8%) were positive for HBsAg (median 0.033 IU/ml (IQR 0.01-415). The HBsAg incidence was higher in men than women (P = 0.009). HBsAg-positive subjects had lower median CD4 counts (P = 0.016). HBV DNA was detectable in 12 HBsAg-positive samples (median 3.36 log cp/ml (2.86-4.51), seven being amplified and sequenced. All isolates were subgenotype A1 without HBV drug resistance mutations but each had at least one BCP/PC mutation. PreS deletion mutants and small S antigen variants M133I/T and D144G were identified. Of the 164 HIV isolates successfully genotyped, 163 (99.4%) were HIV-1 subtype C and only one was HIV-1 subtype F1. Sixteen (9.8%) had at least one drug resistance mutation, predominantly non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-related mutations, observed mostly among female participants. This study shows that co-infection with HBV is present among HIV patients enrolling into HIV care in Zimbabwe, suggesting that HBV screening and monitoring programmes be strengthened in this context. J. Med. Virol. 89:257-266, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Baudi
- Department of Virology and Liver Unit, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Sayuki Iijima
- Department of Virology and Liver Unit, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Nyasha Chin'ombe
- Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | | | - Shuko Murakami
- Department of Virology and Liver Unit, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Masanori Isogawa
- Department of Virology and Liver Unit, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Atsuko Hachiya
- National Hospital Organization Nagoya Medical Center, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yasumasa Iwatani
- National Hospital Organization Nagoya Medical Center, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yasuhito Tanaka
- Department of Virology and Liver Unit, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
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