A Pleiotropic Role of the Hepatitis B Virus Core Protein in Hepatocarcinogenesis

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the most common factors associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is the sixth most prevalent cancer among all cancers worldwide. However, the pathogenesis of HBV-mediated hepatocarcinogenesis is unclear. Evidence currently available suggests that the HBV core protein (HBc) plays a potential role in the development of HCC, such as the HBV X protein. The core protein, which is the structural component of the viral nucleocapsid, contributes to almost every stage of the HBV life cycle and occupies diverse roles in HBV replication and pathogenesis. Recent studies have shown that HBc was able to disrupt various pathways involved in liver carcinogenesis: the signaling pathways implicated in migration and proliferation of hepatoma cells, apoptosis pathways, and cell metabolic pathways inducing the development of HCC; and the immune system, through the expression and production of proinflammatory cytokines. In addition, HBc can modulate normal functions of hepatocytes through disrupting human host gene expression by binding to promoter regions. This HBV protein also promotes HCC metastasis through epigenetic alterations, such as micro-RNA. This review focuses on the molecular pathogenesis of the HBc protein in HBV-induced HCC.

Impact of Dietary Fat on the Progression of Liver Fibrosis: Lessons from Animal and Cell Studies

Previous studies have revealed that a high-fat diet is one of the key contributors to the progression of liver fibrosis, and increasing studies are devoted to analyzing the different influences of diverse fat sources on the progression of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. When we treated three types of isocaloric diets that are rich in cholesterol, saturated fatty acid (SFA) and trans fatty acid (TFA) with hepatitis C virus core gene transgenic mice that spontaneously developed hepatic steatosis without apparent fibrosis, TFA and cholesterol-rich diet, but not SFA-rich diet, displayed distinct hepatic fibrosis. This review summarizes the recent advances in animal and cell studies regarding the effects of these three types of fat on liver fibrogenesis.

An in silico approach for structural and functional annotation of matrix protein of Nipah henipavirus: A protein functional analysis

Nipah henipavirus is an emerging RNA virus with increased mortality threatening global security. In South and Southeast Asia, the Nipah virus has caused numerous disease outbreaks. The matrix protein in Nipah henipavirus has an important role, in connecting the viral envelope with the virus core. For virus assembly, linking the viral envelope with the virus core are very crucial. Through functional and structural explanation evaluations, bioinformatics strategies can help us better understanding of the protein. This investigation aims to allocate the structural and functional annotation of protein. Moreover, the investigation attributes physicochemical parameters, three-dimensional structure, and functional annotation of the protein (QBQ56721.1) applying an in silico perspective. The in silico analysis confirmed the protein's hydrophilic nature, with a secondary structure dominated by alpha (α) helices. Based on several quality assessment methodologies, the tertiary-structure model of the protein has been shown to be reasonably consistent. The functional explanation suggested the protein as a structural protein connected to the viral envelope with the virus core, a protein required for virus assembly. This investigation unleashes the significance of the matrix protein (QBQ56721.1) as a functional protein required for Nipah henipavirus.

An in silico approach for structural and functional annotation of matrix protein of Nipah henipavirus: A protein functional analysi

Nipah henipavirus is an emerging RNA virus with increased mortality threatening global security. In South and Southeast Asia, the Nipah virus has caused numerous disease outbreaks. The matrix protein in Nipah henipavirus has an important role, in connecting the viral envelope with the virus core. For virus assembly, linking the viral envelope with the virus core are very crucial. Through functional and structural explanation evaluations, bioinformatics strategies can help us better understanding of the protein. This investigation aims to allocate the structural and functional annotation of protein. Moreover, the investigation attributes physicochemical parameters, three-dimensional structure, and functional annotation of the protein (QBQ56721.1) applying an in silico perspective. The in silico analysis confirmed the protein's hydrophilic nature, with a secondary structure dominated by alpha (α) helices. Based on several quality assessment methodologies, the tertiary-structure model of the protein has been shown to be reasonably consistent. The functional explanation suggested the protein as a structural protein connected to the viral envelope with the virus core, a protein required for virus assembly. This investigation unleashes the significance of the matrix protein (QBQ56721.1) as a functional protein required for Nipah henipavirus.