title: CRISPR/Cas9-based tools for targeted genome editing and replication control of HBV.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major global health problem because current therapies rarely eliminate HBV infections to achieve a complete cure. A different treatment paradigm to effectively clear HBV infection and eradicate latent viral reservoirs is urgently required. In recent years, the development of a new RNA-guided gene-editing tool, the CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated nuclease 9) system, has greatly facilitated site-specific mutagenesis and represents a very promising potential therapeutic tool for diseases, including for eradication of invasive pathogens such as HBV. Here, we review recent advances in the use of CRISPR/Cas9, which is designed to target HBV specific DNA sequences to inhibit HBV replication and to induce viral genome mutation, in cell lines or animal models. Advantages, limitations and possible solutions, and proposed directions for future research are discussed to highlight the opportunities and challenges of CRISPR/Cas9 as a new, potentially curative therapy for chronic hepatitis B infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, 45122, Germany.
authors.forename: Mengji
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China. dlyang@hust.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Dongliang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D064130:CRISPR-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D064113:CRISPR-Cas Systems; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed / Q000379:methods*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D064130:CRISPR-Associated Proteins; D004279:DNA, Viral
keywords: CRISPR/Cas9; antiviral therapy; covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA); hepatitis B virus (HBV)