Structural basis for hepatitis B virus infection

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K18866
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Physical pharmacy
• Research Institution: Keio University
• Principal Investigator: Yokogawa Mariko 慶應義塾大学, 薬学部(芝共立), 助教 (60648020)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: HBV / 溶液NMR

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Chronic hepatitis B is a global health problem caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, which leads to liver cancer and liver cirrhosis. There are two types of drugs for the treatment of HBV infection: nucleotide analogue and interferon. However, these drugs can hardly eliminate HBV completely from the infected cells. Aim of this study was to obtain structural basis for HBV infection useful for the treatment of HBV infection.
The preS, preS1, and preS2 regions of the surface protein of HBV, which are important for infection, were prepared in large quantities for structural analyses. Assignments of NMR signals derived from preS, preS1, and preS2 were successfully established, which can be used for residue specific analyses of the interaction with NTCP, the HBV receptor specifically expressed in liver. After the examination of some expression vectors, E. coli expression of NTCP was achieved.

Free Research Field

構造生物学