Hepatitis B virus replication and egress machinery (HBV replication and egress machinery)

The Hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication and egress machinery represents the integrated network of viral proteins and host factors responsible for the viral life cycle, from genome synthesis to the release of infectious progeny (PMID: 31034103). Central to this machinery is the HBV polymerase, which performs reverse transcription of pregenomic RNA (pgRNA) within the viral capsid (NIH, 2023). The egress phase involves the envelopment of these capsids by surface antigens (HBsAg) and their secretion via the multivesicular body pathway or the canonical secretory pathway (PMID: 32659471). Current therapeutic strategies primarily utilize nucleoside/nucleotide analogs like Tenofovir and Entecavir to inhibit the polymerase, though these do not eliminate the viral reservoir (cccDNA) (PubChem). Emerging therapies target other components of this machinery, such as capsid assembly modulators (CAMs) and nucleic acid polymers that block HBsAg release (PMID: 33453340). Understanding this complex machinery is vital for achieving a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B and preventing progression to hepatocellular carcinoma (NIH, 2023).

Other names

HBV life cycleHBV replication complexHBV assembly and release pathwayHepatitis B virus replication cycle

Inhibition of HBV DNA polymerase/reverse transcriptase, modulation of nucleocapsid assembly, and inhibition of HBsAg subviral particle release (PMID: 31034103, PMID: 33453340).