Chromatin binding protein HMGN1 promotes HBV cccDNA transcription and replication by regulating the phosphorylation...

Direct elimination of cccDNA remains a formidable obstacle due to the persistent and stable presence of cccDNA in hepatocyte nuclei. The silencing of cccDNA transcription enduringly is one of alternative strategies in the treatment of hepatitis B. Protein binding to cccDNA plays an important role in its transcriptional regulation; thus, the identification of key factors involved in this process is of great importance.

In the present study, high mobility group nucleosome binding domain 1 (HMGN1) was screened out based on our biotin-avidin enrichment system. First, chromatin immunoprecipitation and fluorescent in situ hybridization assays confirmed the binding of HMGN1 with cccDNA in the nucleus. Second, functional experiments in HBV-infected cells showed that the promoting effect of HMGN1 on HBV transcription and replication depended on the functional region of the nucleosomal binding domain, while transfection of the HMGN1 mutant showed no influence on HBV compared with the vector. Third, further mechanistic exploration revealed that the silencing of HMGN1 increased the level of phosphorylase CLK2 and promoted H3 phosphorylation causing the reduced accessibility of cccDNA. Moreover, silenced HMGN1 was mimicked in HBV (r) cccDNA mouse model of HBV infection in vivo. The results showed that silencing HMGN1 inhibited HBV replication in vivo.

In summary, our study identified that a host protein can bind to cccDNA and promote its transcription, providing a candidate strategy for anti-HBV targeting to interfere with the transcriptional activity of cccDNA microchromosomes.