title: Hepatitis B precore protein: pathogenic potential and therapeutic promise.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV), a small and economically packaged double-stranded DNA virus, represents an enormous global health care burden. In spite of an effective vaccine, HBV is endemic in many countries. Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) results in the development of significant clinical outcomes such as liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which are associated with high mortality rates. HBV is a non-cytopathic virus, with the host's immune response responsible for the associated liver damage. Indeed, HBV appears to be a master of manipulating and modulating the immune response to achieve persistent and chronic infection. The HBV precore protein or hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) is a key viral protein involved in these processes, for instance though the down-regulation of the innate immune response. The development of new therapies that target viral proteins, such as HBeAg, which regulates of the immune system, may offer a new wave of potential therapeutics to circumvent progression to CHB and liver disease.
authors.affiliation: Research and Molecular Development, Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, North Melbourne, Victoria 3051, Australia. renae.walsh@mh.org.au
authors.forename: Renae
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Locarnini
mesh_terms: D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens