title: Hepatitis B virus inhibits apolipoprotein A5 expression through its core gene.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection causes lipid metabolism disorders. Apolipoprotein A5 (ApoA5) is a new apolipoprotein family member that plays an important role in the regulation of lipid metabolism. The present study was to investigate the impact of HBV on ApoA5 expression and its regulatory mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blotting were used to measure ApoA5 mRNA and protein expression in HepG2 and HepG2.2.15 cells. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the serum ApoA5 levels in healthy individuals and HBV patients. HBV infectious clone pHBV1.3 or individual plasmids expressing the HBV genome was cotransfected with the ApoA5 promoter pGL3-Apo5-LUC plasmid into HepG2 cells to assess the luciferase activity. RT-PCR and western blotting methods were used to detect Apo5 mRNA and protein expression, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ApoA5 mRNA and protein expression levels were decreased in HepG2.2.15 cells compared with the control HepG2 cells. The serum ApoA5 levels were 196.4 ± 28.7 μg/L in the healthy individuals and 104.5 ± 18.3 μg/L in the HBV patients, statistical analysis showed that the ApoA5 levels were significantly lower in HBV patients than in the healthy individuals (P < 0.05). pHBV1.3 and its core gene inhibited ApoA5 promoter activity and mRNA and protein expression in HepG2 cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HBV inhibits ApoA5 expression at both the transcriptional and translational levels through its core gene.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430060, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chengliang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Ningbo NO. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, 315010, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guosheng
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Gongli Hospital, Second Military Medicine University, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 200135, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Gongli Hospital, Second Military Medicine University, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 200135, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Fengxia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: The State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Kailang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Gongli Hospital, Second Military Medicine University, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 200135, People's Republic of China. syliuxh@163.com.
authors.forename: Xinghui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000072040:Apolipoprotein A-V / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000235:genetics; D052439:Lipid Metabolism Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: C437704:APOA5 protein, human; D000072040:Apolipoprotein A-V; D012333:RNA, Messenger
keywords: Apolipoprotein A5; Expression; Hepatitis B virus