Hepatitis B spliced protein (HBSP) generated by a spliced hepatitis B virus RNA participates in abnormality of fibrin formation and functions by binding to fibrinogen γ chain

J Med Virol. 2010 Dec;82(12):2019-26. doi: 10.1002/jmv.21918.

Abstract

Hepatitis B spliced protein (HBSP) encoded by a 2.2 kb singly spliced hepatitis B virus (HBV) pre-genomic RNA (spliced between positions 2447 and 489 nt) is involved in the pathogenesis of HBV infection, whereas the exact mechanism is far from being fully elucidated. In this study, a yeast two-hybrid system using HBSP as bait was employed to screen binding partners for HBSP from a human liver cDNA library. The interaction between HBSP and fibrinogen γ chain (FGG) was further confirmed in vitro using a GST pull-down assay and confirmed in vivo using a mammalian two-hybrid assay and co-immunoprecipitation. It was identified that this interaction is mediated by the N terminal 47 amino acid residues of HBSP. HBSP could inhibit fibrin polymerization, factor XIIIa-mediated fibrin cross-linking, adhesion of platelets to fibrinogen and ADP-stimulated platelet aggregation. However, the interaction-mediating fragment 1-47 of HBSP is not sufficient for the inhibitory activity on fibrinogen function. The findings suggested that HBSP may participate in the hemostatic abnormality in patients with HBV-related liver diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Factor XIIIa / metabolism
  • Fibrin / metabolism*
  • Fibrinogen / metabolism*
  • Gene Library
  • Hepatitis B virus / genetics
  • Hepatitis B virus / metabolism
  • Hepatitis B virus / pathogenicity*
  • Humans
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Platelet Adhesiveness
  • Platelet Aggregation / drug effects
  • RNA Splicing*
  • Two-Hybrid System Techniques
  • Viral Proteins / chemistry
  • Viral Proteins / genetics
  • Viral Proteins / metabolism*
  • Viral Proteins / pharmacology

Substances

  • HBSP protein, Hepatitis B virus
  • Viral Proteins
  • fibrinopeptides gamma
  • Fibrin
  • Fibrinogen
  • Factor XIIIa