The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.
Faculty of Medicine, Nile University, Khartoum HJW8+2P2, Sudan.
Viruses. 2024 Aug 26;16(9):1361. doi: 10.3390/v16091361.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major public health concern worldwide, with approximately 296 million individuals chronically infected. The HBV-encoded X protein (HBx) is a regulatory protein of 17 kDa, reportedly responsible for a broad range of functions, including viral replication and oncogenic processes. In this review, we summarize the state of knowledge on the mechanisms underlying HBx functions in viral replication, the antiviral effect of therapeutics directed against HBx, and the role of HBx in liver cancer development (including a hypothetical model of hepatocarcinogenesis). We conclude by highlighting major unanswered questions in the field and the implications of their answers.
乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）感染仍然是全球主要的公共卫生关注点，全球约有 2.96 亿人慢性感染。HBV 编码的 X 蛋白（HBx）是一种 17kDa 的调节蛋白，据报道，它负责多种功能，包括病毒复制和致癌过程。在这篇综述中，我们总结了 HBx 在病毒复制中功能的机制、针对 HBx 的治疗药物的抗病毒作用以及 HBx 在肝癌发展中的作用（包括肝癌发生的假设模型）的研究现状。最后，我们强调了该领域尚未解决的主要问题及其答案的意义。
