Regulation of Hepatitis B Virus Infection by Hypoxic Signaling Pathways.

Viruses are obligate parasites that have evolved to manipulate their host to their advantage. Chronic viral infection of the liver is a global health problem, with over 300 million individuals infected with hepatitis B (HBV) or C (HCV) virus that causes liver disease which can progress to liver cancer. Viral hepatitis-related liver disease is the number 4 disease-related killer worldwide and is associated with more than 1 million deaths/year, highlighting an urgent need for new curative treatments. We recently discovered that low oxygen environments, naturally found in the liver, enhance HBV replication at several steps in the viral life cycle. Similar condition may apply to HCV replication. Cellular response to low oxygen is regulated by a family of oxygenases and hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs) that control genes involved in energy metabolism and other cellular processes. This project will study the role of hypoxic signaling and related metabolic pathways in HBV or HCV replication and their impact on pathogenesis, immune based and epigenetic therapies.

The successful candidate will investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying these observations. In particular, we will (i) identify the role of HIFs in HBV cccDNA biogenesis, transcription and metabolism, and production of infectious particles, and conduct comparative studies in HCV replication (ii) analyze how these host-virus interactions are shaped by the tissue microenvironment, genetic manipulations and metabolic parameters. The project has basic and translational research components and applies state-of-the-art technologies, tools and model systems to study HBV infection and its mechanism of disease. Taken together, this exciting project builds on strong preliminary results and existing expertise that may lead to new therapeutic targets and antiviral development.

*This project is available for the 2021 Oxford-NIH Pilot Programme*