Hepatitis B e Antigen Expression by Hepatitis B Virus Subgenotype A1 Relative to Subgenotypes A2 and D3 in Cultured Hepatocellular Carcinoma (Huh7) Cells

Abstract

Following transfection with D3, HBeAg passed through the secretory pathway earlier than cells transfected with genotype A. Cells transfected with A1 showed a lower expression of the preC/C precursor in the secretory pathway and a higher co-localization in the nucleus. Cells transfected with A1 showed greater endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and an earlier, prolonged activation of the UPR seen by the higher activity of three ER-localized transmembrane transducers (double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase-like ER kinase, activating transcription factor 6, and inositol-requiring enzyme 1), on day 3 compared to day 5. Moreover, our study also found that cells transfected with A1 had increased apoptosis.