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. The human La (hLa) protein functions in RNA metabolism and is activated by casein kinase 2 (CK2) phosphorylation. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) can exploit hLa to stabilize its RNA and promote its pathogenesis. To enhance our knowledge of host molecular pathways involved in HBV pathogenesis, a bioinformatic approach was used to generate an expression profile of all predicted target genes of CK2-activated hLa in HBV-infected cells. A computerized literature search was performed to identify English language studies of HBV-, hLa- and CK2-related molecules. The data were pooled and the genes were classified in three functional groups by gene ontology (GO) analysis. HBV, hLa and CK2 targets were predicted, respectively, by a computational method, followed by screening for matching gene symbols in the NCBI human sequences, GO, pathway and network analyses. hLa targets and respective networks in the viral mechanisms of HBV were obtained by the final integrative analysis. Thirty-seven hub genes were identified by overlap calculation, suggesting that hLa may play an important role in the development and progression of HBV through cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, hematopoietic cell lineage, cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), antigen processing and presentation, Jak-STAT signalling pathway, natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity, apoptosis, T-cell receptor signalling pathway, complement and coagulation cascades, protein export and other pathways. Our data may help researchers to predict the molecular mechanisms of hLa in the development and progression of HBV through CK2 comprehensively. Moreover, the present data indicate that hLa targets may be a series of promising candidates for HBV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: A hepatoma cell line, HepG2, was used as a model system to detect Toll-like receptor (TLR) expression in hepatocytes and examine the antiviral effect on hepatitis B virus (HBV). Methods and Results: Toll-like receptor expression was detected in HepG2 cells by RT-PCR. The TLRs, which were strongly expressed in HepG2 cells, were stimulated with specific ligands. Interferon (IFN) response was evaluated poststimulation with Western blotting for signal transduction and activators of transcription-1. Furthermore, HepG2 cells were transiently transfected with wild-type HBV 1·3-fold over-length plasmid and treated with specific ligands at indicated times. Replication of HBV DNA, transcription of HBV RNA intermediate and expression of HBV antigens were respectively detected by Southern blotting, real time PCR, ELISA and Western blotting. Activation of different TLRs induced antiviral effects on HBV to varying degrees. Conclusions: The TLRs, which were strongly expressed in HepG2 cells, could be stimulated with specific ligands. Activation of TLRs induced apparent production of antiviral cytokines such as IFN-α/β and inhibited HBV lifecycle in the hepatocyte cell model. Significance and Impact of the Study: Expression of TLRs in hepatocytes may be related to local immunity of liver and participate in the outcome of viral hepatitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lymphoma combined with hepatitis B infection occupies a relatively higher incidence in China than that of in Europe and America.Aims: To observe the efficacy and safety of rituximab in combination with chemotherapy in patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.Methods: Ninety-two B-cell lymphoma patients with HBV infection in Sichuan Cancer Hospital from January 2009 to October 2015 were divided into two groups. Patients in Group A (n = 33) were treated with rituximab combined with chemotherapy, while Group B (n = 59) accepted chemotherapy alone.Results: The effective rate (complete response + partial response) was 69.7% in Group A and 44.1% in Group B with significantly statistical difference (P = 0.018). Some of the patients got different grades of hepatic function damage during the period of chemotherapy, but there was no statistically significant difference between these two groups (P = 0.071).Conclusions: For CD20-positive NHL patients complicated with HBV infection, rituximab combined with chemotherapy modality is effective. The promise efficacy of this regimen could be achieved relying on controllable safety based on antiviral treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]