Humanized virus-suppressing factor inhibits hepatitis B virus infection by targeting viral cell entry

Although nucleos(t)ide analogs and interferons suppress hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication, they must be taken continuously and have a low response rate. Therefore, therapeutics for HBV with novel modes of action are needed. Humanized virus-suppressing factor (hzVSF) is a monoclonal antibody against vimentin that exhibits broad-spectrum antiviral activity. Here, hzVSF significantly inhibited HBV infection. Although hzVSF inhibited HBV RNA production, it did not affect viral transcription from minicircle DNA mimicking covalently closed circular DNA. Additionally, hzVSF did not inhibit viral protein or DNA release from infected cells. Rather, hzVSF inhibited the cell entry of viral preS1 peptides, possibly by altering intracellular vimentin localization, which is important for HBV cell entry. These results suggest that hzVSF has therapeutic potential for HBV infection with a novel mode of action.