Hepatitis B virus X region RNA transcripts (HBV X RNA) (HBV X RNA)

The Hepatitis B virus (HBV) X region RNA transcripts are essential components of the viral life cycle, encoding the 17-kDa HBx protein. This protein acts as a potent transactivator that modulates host cell signal transduction, interferes with DNA repair, and is crucial for the maintenance of viral replication from the covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) reservoir (Source: PubMed, PMID: 26011025). Because the HBV genome is organized into overlapping open reading frames, the X region sequence is present in all major viral transcripts, including the pregenomic RNA (pgRNA) and subgenomic RNAs (Source: PubMed, PMID: 33164246). Consequently, targeting the X region RNA with sequence-specific therapeutics like small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) or antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) can effectively silence multiple viral genes simultaneously. This strategy aims to reduce the burden of viral antigens, such as HBsAg, to restore the host's immune response and achieve a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B (Source: GSK, Bepirovirsen clinical data). These RNA-targeted agents trigger the degradation of the transcripts via the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) or RNase H-mediated cleavage, preventing the translation of viral proteins (Source: PubMed, PMID: 35839415).

Other names

HBx mRNAHepatitis B virus X gene transcriptsHBV X-gene mRNAHBV X-ORF RNAHepatitis B virus X protein mRNA

RNA interference (RNAi) or antisense-mediated degradation of viral mRNA to inhibit the translation of the HBx protein and other overlapping viral products (Source: PubMed, PMID: 33164246).