Hepatitis B virus is a stealth virus that minimizes proteomic and secretomic changes in primary human hepatocytes

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F61388963%3A_____%2F25%3A00641862" target="_blank" >RIV/61388963:_____/25:00641862 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://doi.org/10.1099/jgv.0.002170" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1099/jgv.0.002170</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1099/jgv.0.002170" target="_blank" >10.1099/jgv.0.002170</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Hepatitis B virus is a stealth virus that minimizes proteomic and secretomic changes in primary human hepatocytes

Original language description

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a hepatotropic DNA virus that infects over 250 million people worldwide and causes serious liver diseases. HBV infection can modulate host cellular processes, potentially inducing proteomic changes in hepatocytes. In this study, we investigated how acute HBV infection alters the proteome and secretome of primary human hepatocytes, a physiologically relevant in vitro model that retains essential liver-specific functions. Protein-level changes in cell lysates and culture supernatants were quantified 8 days post-infection using data-independent acquisition MS. We used HBV infection in the presence of the entry inhibitor bulevirtide as a control to separate the effects of productive infection from those caused by inoculum-associated components. Despite robust infection, active HBV replication induced only subtle changes in host protein levels. Orthogonal validation of MS-identified candidates confirmed reticulocalbin-2 as a novel host factor downregulated during productive HBV infection. The functional role of candidate proteins identified by MS was assessed in vitro by siRNA-mediated knockdown and measurement of viral replication markers. Knockdown had no impact on viral RNA or antigen levels, suggesting that the observed proteomic changes may reflect stress responses or broader modulation of the hepatic microenvironment. Our findings support the concept of HBV as a stealth virus and underscore the importance of carefully controlled experimental systems for studying host responses to infection in vitro.

Czech name

—

Czech description

—

Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10607 - Virology

Project

<a href="/en/project/LX22NPO5103" target="_blank" >LX22NPO5103: National Institute of Virology and Bacteriology</a><br>

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Journal of General Virology

ISSN

0022-1317

e-ISSN

1465-2099

Volume of the periodical

106

Issue of the periodical within the volume

11

Country of publishing house

GB - UNITED KINGDOM

Number of pages

18

Pages from-to

002170

UT code for WoS article

001622006800004

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105021075849