title: Enhancement of hepatitis-B surface-antigen expression by 5-azacytidine in a hepatitis-B-virus-transfected cell line.
abstract: The human hepatoblastoma-derived cell line HB611 secretes hepatitis-B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis-B e antigen (HBeAg) into the medium. Hepatitis-B-virus (HBV) DNA integrated into the cellular genome was found to be hypermethylated. When the cells were treated with 5-azacytidine for 3 days, the level of HBsAg in the medium increased, while the level of HBeAg remained constant. The level of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) decreased with the 5-azacytidine treatment. Southern blot analysis of DNA digested with HpaII or MspI showed that 5-azacytidine treatment resulted in hypomethylation of the integrated HBV DNA, suggesting that 5-azacytidine increased HBsAg production in the cells through hypomethylation of the HBV genomic DNA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miyoshi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Towata
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fusamoto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kamada
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
mesh_terms: D001374:Azacitidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008745:Methylation; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D001374:Azacitidine