Hepatitis B virus counters intracellular antiviral responses by
saturating APOBEC/AID enzymes with rcDNA
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) causes severe liver disease by establishing
persistent infection in human hepatocytes. Current medications suppress
viral replication but cannot eliminate the virus from infected cells.
Efforts are focused on modulating intracellular immunity to develop new
therapies targeting the major genomic form of HBV, known as covalently
closed circular DNA (cccDNA). One potential approach involves utilizing
cytidine deaminases APOBEC/AID, which have the ability to mutate and
degrade HBV cccDNA. Our study reveals a novel evasion strategy used by
HBV to counteract APOBEC/AID immunity and maintain a viral reservoir
within the nuclei of infected cells by saturating these enzymes with
relaxed circular DNA (rcDNA), the primary target of cytidine deaminases.
Reducing rcDNA levels by siRNA or lamivudine or by using
transcriptionally silenced cccDNA enhances cccDNA deamination by major
APOBEC/AID enzymes. We also demonstrate severe deamination of the host
genome by APOBEC3A, APOBEC3B, and AID upon viral suppression by siRNA or
lamivudine, indicating that APOBEC/AID cannot be regarded as safe for
antiviral treatment in cells with low HBV replication levels. Finally,
we show that APOBEC3C and APOBEC3H can improve anti-HBV activity of
siRNA therapeutics but do not affect cccDNA deamination. Off-site
deamination for these factors was not detected at selected
cancer-related genes.