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MINI REVIEW article
Front. Med.
Sec. Hepatobiliary Diseases
Volume 11 - 2024 |
doi: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1504736
This article is part of the Research Topic Chronic Hepatitis B Management: Current Status and Future Directions View all 8 articles
Cracking the Code of HBV Persistence: Cutting-Edge Approaches to Targeting cccDNA in Chronic Hepatitis B with or without Pyogenic Liver Abscesses
Provisionally accepted- 1 Ajou University, Suweon, Republic of Korea
- 2 International Center of Medical Sciences Research (ICMSR), Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
- 3 University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- 4 Near East University, Nicosia, Cyprus
- 5 Chapman University, Orange, California, United States
Chronic Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection remains a formidable global health challenge, driving severe liver complications such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and pyogenic liver abscesses (PLA). At the core of HBV persistence lies covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), a viral reservoir that fuels ongoing infection despite antiviral treatments. This review delves into the molecular mechanisms governing cccDNA formation, maintenance, and clearance, spotlighting innovative therapeutic strategies to disrupt this key viral element. We explore cutting-edge approaches, including epigenetic modulation to silence cccDNA, RNA interference (RNAi) for viral RNA degradation, and CRISPR/Cas genome editing to excise cccDNA directly. Additionally, emerging antiviral therapies and immunotherapies, such as therapeutic vaccines and immune checkpoint inhibitors, offer new avenues for enhanced treatment efficacy. Special attention is given to the clinical complexities of managing HBV in patients with co-morbid conditions like HCC and PLA, underscoring the need for personalized treatment regimens. This review advocates for a shift toward precision medicine, highlighting the critical need for interdisciplinary collaboration to bridge molecular discoveries with clinical innovations. Ultimately, these advancements promise to revolutionize the management of chronic HBV, paving the way for potential cures and improved patient outcomes.
Keywords: Chronic hepatitis B virus, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, molecular pathways, CccDNA, HBV
Received: 01 Oct 2024; Accepted: 04 Dec 2024.
Copyright: © 2024 Saeed, PIRACHA, Tariq, Syed, Raza, Munusamy, Bose, Abdal, Munir, Ozsahin, Özşahin and Nauli. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Umar Saeed, Ajou University, Suweon, Republic of Korea
Surya Nauli, Chapman University, Orange, 92866, California, United States
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