Primary Research Of The Antagonistic Action Of HBV And Its Antigen Components On The Antiviral Activity Of Interferon-α

Objective : To explore the possiblly antagonistic action of HBV and its antigen components on the antiviral activity of IFN-α.Methods: The expression levels of STAT1, STAT2, IRF-9 mRNA in HepG2.2.15 cells at different time points were detected by reversing transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR),and the analysis of the expression levels of MxA mRNAs between in HepG2 and HepG2.2.15 cells was performed. HepG2.2.15 cells were transfected with pcDNA3.1-Flag-MxA (wild-type) plasmid. The HBV DNA was determined by Real-time PCR and the HBsAg/HBeAg were analysed by ELISA assay. Meanwhile, HepG2 cells were transiently transfected with HBV core protein-expressed plasmid pHBc-EGFP, and the expression of antiviral proteins like as MxA,PKR and 2'-5'OAS were also analysed by RT-PCR assay.Results: RT-PCR showed that the expression levels of the STAT1, STAT2, IRF-9 mRNAs in HepG2.2.15 cells treated with IFN-α. increased significantly. Also, it was found, in this research, HepG2.2.15 cells were unable to express the MxA mRNA at detectedable levels, while it could be expressed in HepG2 cells. MxA could be expressed in HepG2.2.15 cells transfected with pcDNA3.1-Flag-MxA (wild-type), and it exerted some antiviral activities in HepG2.2.15 cells. Further, in our study, HepG2 cells were transfected with HBV core protein-expressed plasmid, and the mRNA level of antiviral proteins like as PKR,2'-5'OAS were found no significant change after treatment with 1,000IU/ml IFN-α, while the more important antiviral protein MxA was significantly decreased.Conclusion: HBV and its antigen components don't affect the signal transductive pathway molecules mRNA of JAK-STAT , but it inhibit the anti-viral proteins MxA mRNA expression to antagonize antiviral activity of IFN-α.