Cellular Factors in HBV and HDV Replication and Pathogenesis
A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Human Virology and Viral Diseases".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2023) | Viewed by 9684
Special Issue Editors
Interests: SARS-CoV-2; variant of concern; vaccine evaluation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The World Health Organization has called for the elimination of viral hepatitis by 2030, aiming at a 65% reduction in mortality and a 90% reduction in incidence compared to the baseline in 2015. Viral hepatitis, in most cases, is caused by five hepatitis viruses A, B, C, D and E, but only hepatitis B/D and C viruses lead to chronicity. Since hepatitis C virus can be cured with the treatment of direct-acting antivirals, a particular focus on hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis D virus (HDV) affecting 296 million (in 2019) and 15-20 million people, respectively, is necessary.
Replication of both viruses requires obligatory cellular factors in the host machinery. Cellular factors that have been identified play cooperative and restrictive roles in HBV replication. However, those in the steps of e.g., nuclear import of nucleocapsids, formation and transcription of covalently closed circular DNA, are largely uncharacterized. HDV is a defective RNA virus with a viroid-like RNA genome for replication. It also requires compulsory HBV envelope proteins in the same cell for virion assembly. Both HBV and HDV share some factors in their replication and pathogenesis, but each of them hijacks a number of virus-specific factors.
Ten years since the discovery of the functional HBV and HDV receptor NTCP, this is an exciting opportunity to further promote HBV and HDV research. This Special Issue aims to update recent advances in (I) novel cellular factors (e.g., proteins, RNA), (II) the new role of previously reported factors in HBV and HDV replication and pathogenesis, and (III) host determinants allowing better in vitro and in vivo infection models.
Dr. Bingqian Qu
Dr. Chunkyu Ko
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- hepatitis B virus
- hepatitis D virus
- chronic hepatitis
- hepatocellular carcinoma
- host dependency factor
- host restriction factor
- HBV/HDV research model
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