Hepatitis B virus RNA transcripts encoding hepatitis B surface antigen (HBV HBsAg mRNA) (HBV HBsAg mRNA)

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) RNA transcripts encoding the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) are essential viral intermediates that facilitate the production of the envelope proteins required for virion assembly and the secretion of subviral particles (Iannacone & Guidotti, 2022, Nature Reviews Immunology). These transcripts, derived from the S gene, include the pre-S1, pre-S2, and S mRNAs, which translate into the Large (L), Medium (M), and Small (S) surface proteins. In chronic HBV infection, HBsAg is produced in massive excess, serving as an immunological decoy that suppresses the host's T-cell and B-cell responses, leading to viral persistence (Gish et al., 2020, Gastroenterology & Hepatology). Therapeutic strategies targeting these RNA transcripts, such as antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), aim to silence HBsAg production directly (Yuen et al., 2021, The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology). By reducing the circulating HBsAg burden, these therapies seek to restore the host's immune system's ability to clear the virus, moving toward a "functional cure" for chronic hepatitis B (Wooddell et al., 2020, Science Translational Medicine). This approach is distinct from nucleos(t)ide analogs, which primarily inhibit the reverse transcription of pregenomic RNA into DNA but have minimal impact on HBsAg levels.

Other names

HBV S-mRNAHBV surface antigen mRNAHBV pre-S1/pre-S2/S transcriptsHepatitis B virus S-gene transcripts

Degradation of viral mRNA via RNA interference (siRNA) or RNase H-mediated cleavage (ASO) to inhibit HBsAg production.