Pro-apoptotic function of hepatitis B virus X protein

doi:2010.16.2.112

Korean J Hepatol > Volume 16(2); 2010 > Article

The Korean Journal of Hepatology 2010;16(2): 112-122.
doi: https://doi.org/10.3350/kjhep.2010.16.2.112

Pro-apoptotic function of hepatitis B virus X protein

Kyun-Hwan Kim, Ph.D.

Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine and Center for Cancer Research and Diagnostic Medicine, IBST, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea

ABSTRACT

Infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a main cause of liver diseases including hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Among the HBV-encoded proteins, the HBV X protein (HBx) has been suspected to be strongly involved in HBV-associated liver pathogenesis. HBx, a virally encoded multifunctional regulator, has been shown to induce apoptosis, anti-apoptosis, proliferation, and transformation of cells depending on the cell lines, model systems used, assay protocols, and research groups. Among the several activities of HBx, the pro-apoptotic function of HBx will be discussed in this review. Given that the disruption of apoptosis pathway by HBx contributes to the liver pathogenesis, a better understanding of the molecular interference in the cellular pro-apoptotic networks by HBx will provide useful clues for the intervention in HBV-mediated liver diseases.

KeyWords: Hepatitis B virus; X protein; Apoptosis; Hepatocellular carcinoma