MAGT1-mediated disturbance of Mg homeostasis lead to exhausted of HBV-infected NK and CD8 T cells.

The magnesium transporter 1 (MAGT1) is a critical regulator of basal intracellular free magnesium ([Mg]i) levels. It has been shown that MAGT1 was involved in the disorder in Mg homeostasis after Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. Here, we identified the effects of MAGT1-mediated disturbance of Mg homeostasis on chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected natural killer (NK) and CD8 T cells. The expression of MAGT1 was gradually decreased with the increase of infected time in CD8 T cells, but not with that in NK cells, of the patients. Decreased level of intracellular free Mg ([Mg]i) leads to defective expression of programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and the NK activating receptor (NKG2D) in NK and CD8 T cells. Our data illustrate that [Mg]i plays a key role in control of HBV infection.