Host cells for delivery of HBV antigen genes

Host cells for delivery of HBV antigen genes refers to the cellular environment, such as myocytes or antigen-presenting cells (APCs), utilized by genetic vaccines and viral vectors to express Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) proteins. In therapeutic vaccination strategies for chronic HBV, DNA plasmids, mRNA, or viral vectors (e.g., Adenovirus or MVA) are introduced into these host cells, which then serve as factories to produce viral antigens like the surface antigen (HBsAg) or core antigen (HBcAg) (PMID: 32653444). Once synthesized, these antigens are processed and presented on the cell surface via Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules to prime and activate HBV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (PMID: 34182533). The ultimate goal of this strategy is to overcome the immune exhaustion and tolerance characteristic of chronic HBV infection, enabling the immune system to target and eliminate infected hepatocytes. While critical for the efficacy of gene-based immunotherapies, these cells are not biological targets in the traditional pharmacological sense but rather components of the drug delivery and expression system. Consequently, the safety and magnitude of the resulting immune response depend heavily on the efficiency of gene transfer into these host cells.

Other names

Antigen-expressing host cellsHBV gene delivery systemTarget cells for HBV DNA vaccinesCellular vehicles for HBV immunotherapy

Host cells serve as the site for uptake and expression of genetic material encoding HBV antigens, facilitating the presentation of these antigens to the immune system to stimulate a therapeutic T-cell response against chronic hepatitis B infection (PMID: 32653444).