title: Functional Characterization of Interferon Regulation Element of Hepatitis B virus Genome In Vivo.
abstract: The roles of interferon regulatory element (IRE) in Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome on inhibitory effect of interferon against HBV are controversial in vitro. This study aimed to determine the functional characterization of HBV-IRE sequence in vivo. Wild-type or IRE-mutant HBV replication-competent mice were firstly established, and mice were subquently treated with polyinosinic-polytidylin acid (polyI.C) or phosphate-buffered saline via intraperitoneal. Results showed that PolyI.C inhibited viral replication, and increased the level of 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthase mRNA transcripts, a marker of INF-α/β induction. Between wild-type and IRE-mutant HBV replication-competent mice, the levels of HBV-RNA and HBV-DNA replication intermediates were similar. After PolyI.C treatment, the decreasing of HBV-RNA was similar between two groups, but HBV-DNA replication intermediates decreased significantly less in IRE-mutant than wild-type HBV replication-competent mice. These findings suggested that IRE mutant reduced the inhibitory effect of interferon on HBV replication, which played a role in antiviral effect of interferon against HBV.
authors.affiliation: Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, No.37 Guo Xue Xiang, Chengdu, 610041 People's Republic of China ; Division of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041 People's Republic of China ; Department of Infectious Diseases, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, 637000 People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Feng-Jun
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: En-Qiang
authors.initials: EQ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Qiao-Ling
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Tao-You
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Cong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tang
keywords: Hepatitis B virus; Interferon regulatory element; Mice model; Polyinosinic-polytidylin acid; Replication; Transcription