RNA Sequencing of HBx expressing human hepatocytes stimulated with endothelial cell crosstalk
Identification of genes dysregulated during the hepatitis B virus host cell interaction adds to the understanding of underlying molecular mechanisms and aids in discovering effective therapies to improve prognosis in hepatitis B virus infected individuals. Through bioinformatics analyses of transcriptomics data, this study aimed to identify potential genes involved in the cross-talk of human hepatocytes expressing the HBx viral protein with endothelial cells. Transient transfection of viral gene was performed in normal human hepatocyte like cells using pcDNA3 constructs. Through mRNA sequencing, differentially expressed genes were identified. HBx transfected cells were further treated with the conditioned medium from cultured human umbilical vein derived endothelial cells. This study provided molecular insights which may help in developing a deeper understanding of the HBV and host stromal cell interaction, and open avenues for future research.