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Host-viral interaction of HBV infection revealed by single-cell transcriptome jointly profiling the viral replication state

delete2026-03-01
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PRE
AI
Y
Yanfang Huang
H
Hongyuan Xue
J
Jinhang He
R
Rongshan Fan
L
Liu, Yongping
M
Miaoqu Zhang
Z
Zunguo Du
Q
QuanBao Zhang
H
Hu, Xiaomu
Z
Zheng, Caixia
Z
Zhang Xia
S
Shengran Jiang
J
Jiang, Ning
W
Wenqi Zhu
W
Wang, Jingshen
Z
Zaoxu Xu
R
Renjie Liao
L
Luyang Zhao
Z
Zhang, Yumeng
J
Jianming Zheng
Y
Yuxian Huang
J
Jiming Zhang
G
Guojun Li
Z
Zhengxin Wang *
Z
Zhang, Qiran *
W
Wenhong Zhang
C
Chao Qiu *
DOI:10.1097/HEP.0000000000001750delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Background and Aims:Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection exhibits marked cellular heterogeneity, which conventional poly(A)-based single-cell RNA sequencing fails to resolve this heterogeneity owing to the overwhelming host transcript background. To overcome this, we developed B-BEST (HBV can BE Seen on host Transcriptome), a targeted sc/snRNA-seq approach using custom beads conjugated with HBV-specific probes to simultaneously quantify 5 viral genomic regions (S, X, pgRNA, rcDNA, cccDNA).Approach and Results:We validated B-BEST in HepAD38 cells and integrated it with long-read sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, and in situ hybridization in liver tissues from treatment-na & iuml;ve patients and antiviral-treated humanized liver-chimeric (Hu-URG) mice. B-BEST revealed significant heterogeneity among HBV-positive hepatocytes. In HBeAg-positive patients, HBV-positive subpopulations enriched for hepatic synthesis/metabolism and mitochondrial function were linked to active viral replication and transcription, with only a mild type I interferon response. Severe inflammation correlated with suppressed HBV replication. Long-read sequencing indicated that integrated HBV transcripts preferentially used host promoters and contributed to HBsAg persistence in HBeAg-negative patients. In Hu-URG mice, entecavir upregulated metabolic pathways, while peginterferon alfa-2b induced broad-spectrum antiviral programs. Notably, clonal expansion of hepatocytes diluted the intrahepatic viral reservoir when viral replication was inhibited, suggesting a proliferative dilution mechanism that may contribute to functional cure.Conclusions:In summary, our B-BEST platform provides resources for delineating the heterogeneous landscape of HBV infection, identifying host determinants and microenvironmental factors that govern viral replication and persistence, and highlighting hepatocyte proliferation as a potential clearance mechanism for antiviral therapy.
Keywords:
chronic hepatitis B
HBV integration
hepatocytes
liver humanized mice
single-cell gene expression analysis

Journal

Hepatology cover
Hepatology
IF:
15.8
Papers:
2.0W
Citations:
7.2W

Organization

F
fudan university
Scholars:
11.3W
Papers: 7.6W
Citations: 121
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