Pro-apoptotic function of hepatitis B virus X protein.
10.3350/kjhep.2010.16.2.112
- Author:
Kyun Hwan KIM
1
Author Information
1. Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine and Center for Cancer Research and Diagnostic Medicine, IBST, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea. khkim10@kku.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Review ; English Abstract
- Keywords:
Hepatitis B virus;
X protein;
Apoptosis;
Hepatocellular carcinoma
- MeSH:
*Apoptosis;
Hepatitis B/etiology;
Liver Diseases/metabolism/virology;
Trans-Activators/*metabolism;
Tumor Necrosis Factors/metabolism;
Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/metabolism
- From:The Korean Journal of Hepatology
2010;16(2):112-122
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a main cause of liver diseases including hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Among the HBV-encoded proteins, the HBV X protein (HBx) has been suspected to be strongly involved in HBV-associated liver pathogenesis. HBx, a virally encoded multifunctional regulator, has been shown to induce apoptosis, anti-apoptosis, proliferation, and transformation of cells depending on the cell lines, model systems used, assay protocols, and research groups. Among the several activities of HBx, the pro-apoptotic function of HBx will be discussed in this review. Given that the disruption of apoptosis pathway by HBx contributes to the liver pathogenesis, a better understanding of the molecular interference in the cellular pro-apoptotic networks by HBx will provide useful clues for the intervention in HBV-mediated liver diseases.
