Gut microbiota modulate the immune effect against hepatitis B virus infection

Abstract

The immunological mechanisms by which hepatitis B virus (HBV) initiates and maintains acute or chronic infection, even the formation of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, are still undefined. An increasing number of studies have shown that intestinal flora regulate immune homeostasis, and, thus, protect the immunologic function against hepatitis virus infection. In this article, we discuss gut microbiota and its potential immune effects against HBV infection. It may provide a novel insight into the pathogenesis of HBV infection, as well as a potential therapeutic target to HBV-related disease.

Comparative pharmacokinetics of three alkaloids in normal and acute hepatitis rats after oral administration of Yanhuanglian total alkaloids extract

“…Additionally, micro‐ecological studies have found that the occurrence and development of hepatitis may be closely related to intestinal flora (Xu, Huang, & Wang, ). Moreover, most herbal medicines are administered orally.…”

The Immunologic Role of Gut Microbiota in Patients with Chronic HBV Infection

“…Various immune cells and cytokines not only are involved in the initiation and regulation of the immune response but also can activate downstream signaling pathways that directly or indirectly inhibit HBV replication. It can be concluded that the host immune response caused by HBV infection exerts a significant influence on the prognosis of hepatitis B and the treatment effect of antiviral drugs [ 12 ]. The immune response against HBV mainly includes innate immunity and adaptive immunity; however, the effective innate immune response not only can eliminate the virus directly but also can exert a significant influence on HBV-specific immunity [ 13 ].…”

“…After the breach of the body's physical barriers, such as the skin or mucous membranes by microorganisms, TLRs identify molecules and become activated, leading to immune responses [ 14 ]. TLRs are expressed in multiple liver immune cells, including plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), monocytes, macrophages, Kupffer cells, hepatic stellate cells, and liver cells [ 12 ]. Experimental studies have indicated that the activation of cell signaling pathways by TLRs and the release of antiviral cytokines are the main mechanisms by which HBV replication in liver cells is suppressed.…”

Effect by Intestinal Microbiom on the Progression of Viral Hepatitis

“…Так, представители Firmicutes -лакто-бактерии и бифидобактерии -влияют на ин-дукцию IgA, дифференцировку разных типов иммунных клеток (Th1, Th17, Foxp3 + регуля-торные T клетки и др. ), а также участвуют в ре-ализации защиты организма от гепатотропных вирусов [19,36,37,48,62]. В частности, штаммы Lactobacillus casei Shirоta обладают свойством смещать баланс (Th) от Тh2 в сторону Th1, игра-ющих роль в реакциях клеточного иммунитета и обеспечивающих противовирусный имму-нитет.…”