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Development of a CRISPR-Cas13-based antiviral strategy against hepatitis E virus

Emely Richter1, Mara Klöhn1, Maximilian K Nocke2

  • 1Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany; Hepatitis E Virus Research Hub (HepE-Hub), Bochum, Germany.

JHEP Reports : Innovation in Hepatology
|May 7, 2026
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

The CRISPR/Cas13d system effectively suppressed hepatitis E virus (HEV) replication and infectious particle production in laboratory studies. This CRISPR-based approach shows promise as a novel antiviral strategy against HEV, even with viral evolution.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Virology
  • Gene Editing

Background:

  • Hepatitis E virus (HEV) poses a significant public health challenge due to the lack of effective antiviral treatments.
  • Developing novel therapeutic strategies against HEV is crucial for disease management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of the CRISPR/Cas13d system as a potential antiviral therapy against HEV.
  • To identify a minimal set of CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) for broad targeting of HEV strains.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a reporter assay for screening crRNAs targeting conserved HEV genomic regions.
  • Assessment of HEV replication and infectious particle production in a human hepatoma cell culture model.
  • Bioinformatic analysis to determine crRNA coverage of circulating HEV strains.

Main Results:

  • CRISPR/Cas13d significantly reduced HEV replication and infectious virus production in vitro.
  • Specific crRNAs targeting HEV ORF1 markedly decreased viral capsid expression and infected cell numbers.
  • A minimal set of three to four crRNAs demonstrated broad coverage of known HEV genomes.

Conclusions:

  • The CRISPR/Cas13d system demonstrates potent antiviral activity against HEV in vitro.
  • This system offers a promising framework for developing broad-spectrum antiviral strategies against HEV, adaptable to viral evolution.
Keywords:
AntiviralsCRISPR-Cas13Hepatitis E virus (HEV)

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