title: MxA inhibits hepatitis B virus replication by interaction with hepatitis B core antigen.
abstract: Human MxA, an interferon-inducible cytoplasmic dynamin-like GTPase, possesses antiviral activity against multiple RNA viruses. Recently, MxA has also been demonstrated to have activity against the hepatitis B virus (HBV), a well-known DNA virus responsible for acute and chronic liver disease in humans. We investigated the molecular mechanism for the anti-HBV activity of MxA. Our results demonstrated that in HepG2.2.15 cells, MxA GTPase independently suppressed the production of hepatitis B surface antigen and HBV DNA without changing the level of hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) and the distribution of HBV mRNA. MxA significantly reduced the level of the encapsidated pregenomic RNA. Through its central interactive domain, MxA interacted with HBcAg, causing accumulation of the proteins in perinuclear compartments. MxA-HBcAg interaction significantly affected the dynamics of HBcAg by immobilizing HBcAg in the perinuclear structures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MxA displays antiviral activity against HBV involving a mechanism of MxA-HBcAg interaction that may interfere with core particle formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Program in Molecular Cell Biology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Liangwei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wenfeng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Yinfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D064547:Myxovirus Resistance Proteins; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; C579071:MX1 protein, human; D064547:Myxovirus Resistance Proteins; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins