title: Preventive effects of a major component of green tea, epigallocathechin-3-gallate, on hepatitis-B virus DNA replication.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis B virus infection is one of the major world health problems. Epigallocatechin-3 gallate is the major component of the polyphenolic fraction of green tea and it has an anti-viral, anti-mutagenic, anti- tumorigenic, anti-angiogenic, anti-proliferative, and/or pro-apoptotic effects on mammalian cells. In this study, our aim was to investigate the inhibition of HBV replication by epigallocatechin-3 gallate in the Hep3B2.1-7 hepatocellular carcinoma cell line.
  
  
  METHODS
  HBV-replicating Hep3B2.1-7 cells were used to investigate the preventive effects of epigallocatechin-3 gallate on HBV DNA replication. The expression levels of HBsAg and HBeAg were determined using ELISA. Quantitative real-time-PCR was applied for the determination of the expression level of HBV DNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cytotoxicity of epigallocathechin-3-gallate was not observed in the hepatic carcinoma cell line when the dose was lower than 100 μM. The ELISA method demonstrated that epigallocatechin-3 gallate have strong effects on HBsAg and HBeAg levels. Also it was detected by real-time PCR that epigallocatechin-3 gallate could prevent HBV DNA replication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The obtained data pointed out that although the exact mechanism of HBV DNA replication and related diseases remains unclear, epigallocatechin-3 gallate has a potential as an effective anti-HBV agent with low toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Medical Faculty, Kafkas University, Kars, Turkey E-mail : murat_karamese@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karamese
authors.forename: Sabiha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aydogdu
authors.forename: Selina Aksak
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Karamese
authors.forename: Ulku
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Altoparlak
authors.forename: Cemal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gundogdu
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D028241:Camellia sinensis; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000821:virology*; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000187:drug effects*; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D013662:Tea; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D013662:Tea; D002392:Catechin; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate