Ergosterol peroxide blocks HDV infection as a novel entry inhibitor by targeting human NTCP receptor.
Journal
Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
Journal Volume
170
Start Page
116077
ISSN
1950-6007
Date Issued
2024-01
Author(s)
Chiou, Wei-Chung
Lyu, Yi-Syuan
Hsia, Tzu-Lan
Chen, Jui-Chieh
Lin, Lie-Chwen
Hsu, Meng-Shiuan
Huang, Cheng
Abstract
Hepatitis D virus (HDV), which co-infects or superinfects patients with hepatitis B virus, is estimated to affect 74 million people worldwide. Chronic hepatitis D is the most severe form of viral hepatitis and can result in liver cirrhosis, liver failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Currently, there are no efficient HDV-specific drugs. Therefore, there is an urgent need for novel HDV therapies that can achieve a functional cure or even eliminate the viral infection. In the HDV life cycle, agents targeting the entry step of HDV infection preemptively reduce the intrahepatic viral RNA. Human sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide (hNTCP), a transporter of bile acids on the plasma membrane of hepatocytes, is an essential entry receptor of HDV and is a promising molecular target against HDV infection. Here, we investigated the effect of ergosterol peroxide (EP) on HDV infection in vitro and in vivo. EP inhibited HDV infection of hNTCP-expressing dHuS-E/2 hepatocytes by interrupting the early fusion/endocytosis step of HDV entry. Furthermore, molecular modeling suggested that EP hinders LHBsAg binding to hNTCP by blocking access to S267 and V263. In addition, we generated hNTCP-expressing transgenic (Tg) C57BL/6 mice using the Cre/loxP system for in vivo study. EP reduced the liver HDV RNA level of HDV-challenged hNTCP-Cre Tg mice. Intriguingly, EP downregulated the mRNA level of liver IFN-γ. We demonstrate that EP is a bona fide HDV entry inhibitor that acts on hNTCP and has the potential for use in HDV therapies.
Subjects
Entry inhibitor
Ergosterol peroxide
Hepatitis D virus
Human NTCP
Type
journal article