Hepatitis B virus proteins (HBV proteins)

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) proteins are the essential functional and structural components of the virus, encoded by four overlapping open reading frames in the viral genome (UniProt: P03138, P03141). These include the viral polymerase (P protein), which acts as a reverse transcriptase and DNA polymerase; the surface proteins (HBsAg), which are crucial for viral attachment and entry into hepatocytes; the core protein (HBcAg), which assembles into the viral nucleocapsid; and the X protein (HBx), which modulates host cell signaling and viral transcription (NCBI: HBV Genome). These proteins are the primary targets for antiviral therapy, as they are indispensable for the viral life cycle, including the conversion of the viral genome into covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) and the subsequent production of new virions (PubMed: PMID 32165541). While current nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs) effectively target the polymerase to suppress viral replication, they rarely achieve a functional cure, leading to the development of new agents targeting the core protein and surface antigen secretion (NIH: Hepatitis B Treatment). Chronic infection and the activity of these proteins are directly linked to the development of severe liver pathologies, including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (WHO: Hepatitis B Factsheet).

Other names

HBV antigensHepatitis B virus gene productsHBV polyprotein components

Inhibition of viral DNA polymerase and reverse transcriptase activity, disruption of nucleocapsid assembly, and inhibition of viral entry into hepatocytes.