We describe here the anti-HBV activity of natural and synthetic retinoids in primary human hepatocytes (PHHs). The most potent compounds inhibited HBsAg, HBeAg, viral RNA and DNA production by HBV infected cells with EC50 values ranging from 0.4 to 2.6 μM. The activity was independent of PHH donor and HBV genotype used in testing. 13-cis retinoic acid (Accutane) was selected for further evaluation in the PXB chimeric mouse model of HBV infection at doses allowing to achieve Accutane peak serum concentrations near its antiviral EC90 and exposures ∼5-fold higher than a typical clinical dose. While these supraclinical exposures of 100 mg/kg/day were well-tolerated by regular Balb/c mice, PXB mice were more sensitive and even a lower those of 60 mg/kg/day led to significant weight loss. Despite dosing at this maximal tolerated dose for 28 days, Accutane failed to show any anti-HBV activity. RAR target engagement was verified using transcriptome analysis of liver samples from treated versus vehicle groups. However, gene expression changes in PXB liver samples were vastly muted when compared to the in vitro PHH system. When comparing transcriptional changes associated with the conditioning of fresh hepatocytes toward enabling HBV infection, we also observed a large number of changes. Noticeably, a significant number of genes that were up- or down-regulated by the conditioning process were down- or up-regulated by HBV infected PHH treatment with Accutane, respectively. While the lack of efficacy in the PXB model may have many explanations, the observed, opposing transcriptional changes upon conditioning PHH and treating these cultured, HBV-infected PHH with Accutane allow for the possibility that the PHH system may yield artificial anti-HBV hits.
- MeSH
- antivirové látky krev farmakologie MeSH
- DNA virů metabolismus MeSH
- down regulace MeSH
- exprese genu účinky léků MeSH
- hepatitida B - antigeny e účinky léků MeSH
- hepatitida B - antigeny povrchové účinky léků MeSH
- hepatitida B farmakoterapie virologie MeSH
- hepatocyty metabolismus virologie MeSH
- isotretinoin farmakologie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- modely nemocí na zvířatech MeSH
- myši inbrední BALB C MeSH
- myši MeSH
- replikace viru účinky léků MeSH
- retinoidy krev farmakologie MeSH
- RNA virová metabolismus MeSH
- upregulace MeSH
- viabilita buněk účinky léků MeSH
- virus hepatitidy B účinky léků genetika MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- myši MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
