title: Calcium ions affect the hepatitis B virus core assembly.
abstract: Previous report showed that cytosolic Ca2+ induced by hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) promotes HBV replication. In this study, in vitro experiments showed that (i) HBV core assembly in vitro was promoted by Ca2+ through the sucrose density gradient and the analytical ultracentrifuge analysis. Also, (ii) transmission electron microscope analysis demonstrated these assembled HBV core particles were the capsids. Ex vivo experiments showed that the treatment of BAPTA-AM and cyclosporine A (CsA) reduced HBV capsids in the transfected HepG2 cells. In addition to that, the treatment of Thapsigargin (TG) increased HBV capsids in the transfected HepG2 cells. Furthermore, we investigated the increased HBV core assembly by HBx. The results show that the increased cytosolic calcium ions by HBx promote the HBV core assembly.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, San 56-1, Shillim-dong, Kwanak-gu, Seoul 151-742, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yongwook
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Sung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gyoo Park
authors.forename: Jun-Hi
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Guhung
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jung
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D002213:Capsid / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D019065:Virus Assembly / Q000187:drug effects*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium