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The role of innate immunity in HBV infection

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Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the main causes of chronic liver diseases. Whether HBV infection is cleared or persists is determined by both viral factors and host immune responses. It becomes clear that innate immunity is of importance in protecting the host from HBV infection and persistence. However, HBV develops strategies to suppress the antiviral immune responses. A combined therapeutic strategy with both viral suppression and enhancement of antiviral immune responses is needed for effective long-term clearance and cure for chronic HBV infection. We and others confirmed that bifunctional siRNAs with both gene silencing and innate immune activation properties are beneficial for inhibition of HBV and represent a potential approach for treatment of viral infection. Understanding the nature of liver innate immunity and their roles in chronic HBV progression and HBV clearance may aid in the design of novel therapeutic strategies for chronic HBV infection.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Ministry of Science & Technology of China (973 Basic Science Project 2012CB519004, 2009CB522403), Natural Science Foundation of China (#91029303, #30730084, #30911120480, #31021061), and National Science & Technology Major Projects (2012ZX10002-014)

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  1. Institute of Immunopharmacology & Immunotherapy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, 44 Wenhua West Road, Jinan, 250012, China

    Qiuju Han, Cai Zhang, Jian Zhang & Zhigang Tian

  2. Institute of Immunology, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China

    Zhigang Tian

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  1. Qiuju Han
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Correspondence to Cai Zhang or Zhigang Tian.

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This article is published as part of the Special Issue on Immunopathology of viral hepatitis [34:4]

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Han, Q., Zhang, C., Zhang, J. et al. The role of innate immunity in HBV infection. Semin Immunopathol 35, 23–38 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00281-012-0331-y

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