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Theranostics 2019; 9(13):3798-3811. doi:10.7150/thno.35331 This issue Cite

Research Paper

IL-21-based therapies induce clearance of hepatitis B virus persistence in mouse models

Zhongliang Shen^1#, Jing Liu^2,3#✉, Jingwen Wu^1#, Yuanfei Zhu³, Gaiyun Li³, Jun Wang¹, Mengjun Luo³, Qiang Deng³, Jiming Zhang^1,3✉, Youhua Xie^3,4✉

1. Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, People's Republic of China
2. Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, People's Republic of China
3. Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (Ministry of Education/National Health Commission/Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences), Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, People's Republic of China
4. Children's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201199, People's Republic of China
#: These authors contributed equally to this work.

✉ Corresponding authors: Dr. Youhua Xie (yhxieedu.cn) and Dr. Jing Liu (liujing212edu.cn), Postbox 228, 131 Dong'an Rd, Shanghai 200032, People's Republic of China; Phone: +86-21-54237972; Fax: +86-21-54237973; or to Dr. Jiming Zhang (jmzhangedu.cn), Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, 12 Middle Wulumuqi Road, Shanghai 200040, People's Republic of China; Phone: +86-21-52887965; Fax: +86-21-52887963 More

Abstract

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection causes hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) is the sole viral transcription template and not affected by current treatment options, constituting a key determinant of HBV persistence. Novel therapeutics with demonstrable effectiveness against cccDNA are required.

Methods: Previously, we established an HBV persistence mouse model using replicon plasmid derived from a clinical isolate (termed BPS) and identified IL-21 as a potent clearance-inducer. We also described another persistence mouse model based on cccDNA mimics produced in vivo termed recombinant cccDNA (rcccDNA). In this work, effectiveness of IL-21-based gene and cellular therapies was tested using these models.

Results: In both models of HBV persistence, single injections with adeno-associated virus (AAV) expressing murine IL-21 highly efficiently induced clearance of both HBV markers from serum, and more importantly, BPS DNA and rcccDNA from mouse liver. Mechanistically, IL-21-induced clearance was associated with activation and liver infiltration of CD8⁺ T cells, and CD8 antibody injections negatively affected AAV-IL-21 effectiveness. More notably, adoptive transfer of CD8⁺ T cells from AAV-IL-21-cured mice engendered clearance in acceptor HBV persistence mice. Furthermore, cured mice were protected against re-challenge with long-lived memory. Most significantly, infusion of splenocytes from treatment-naïve mice stimulated ex vivo with IL-21 protein and HBV antigen could also induce clearance in treatment-naïve mice.

Conclusion: These data demonstrate IL-21-based gene and cellular therapies as valid candidates for treating chronic HBV infections, with potential in removing cccDNA-harboring hepatocytes via activated CD8⁺ T cells accompanied by long-term protective memory.

Keywords: clearance, cellular immunity, hepatitis B virus, IL-21, mouse model

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