Hepatitis B Virus DNA Polymerase Displays an Anti-Apoptotic Effect by Interacting with Elongation Factor-1 Alpha-2 in Hepatoma Cells
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Updated: Dec 2, 2025

Identifying Inhibitors of the HBx-DDB1 Interaction Using a Split Luciferase Assay System
Published on: December 21, 2019
Xianli Niu1,2, Shirong Nong2, Junyuan Gong2
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, Guangdong 519041, P.R. China.
Abstract:
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome P-encoded protein HBV DNA polymerase (Pol) has long been known as a reverse transcriptase during HBV replication. In this study, we investigated the impact of HBV Pol on host cellular processes, mainly apoptosis, and the underlying mechanisms. We showed a marked reduction in apoptotic rates in the HBV Pol-expressed HepG2 cells compared to controls. Moreover, a series of assays, i.e., yeast two-hybrid, GST pull-down, co-immunoprecipitation, and confocal laser scanning microscopy, identified the host factor eEF1A2 to be associated with HBV Pol. Furthermore, knockdown of eEF1A2 gene by siRNA abrogated the HBV Pol-mediated anti-apoptotic effect with apoptosis induced by endoplasmatic reticulum (ER) stress-inducer thapsigargin (TG), thus suggesting that the host factor eEF1A2 is essential for HBV Pol's anti-apoptosis properties. Our findings have revealed a novel role for HBV Pol in its modulation of apoptosis through integrating with eEF1A2.
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