The effect of cyclosporine A on hepatitis B virus replication in vitro

Objective To investigate the effect of cyclosporine A(CsA)on viral protein syn- thesis and hepatitis B virus(HBV)DNA replication in vitro.Methods The HBV DNA transfected cell line HepG2.2.15 was treated with different concentration of CsA(0.6-20.0μg/ml)for 4 days. Hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg)and hepatitis B e antigen(HBeAg)in supernatant were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbentassay(ELISA);intracellular hepatitis B core antigen(HBcAg)mR- NA and HBV DNA were analyzed by RT-PCR and slot blot hybridization,respectively;the phospho- rylation at tyrosine acid position 402 of PyK2 kinase(PyK2 Y402)was detected by Western blot.Re- sults CsA could suppress the expression of HBsAg and HBeAg,and inhibit the HBV DNA replica- tion in a dose-dependent manner.The suppression rate of HBsAg and HBeAg under the action of CsA at the concentration of 10.0μg/ml for 4 days was 49.7% and 34.3%,respective;similar effect was observed on HBV DNA replication,HBV DNA was only 34.9% of the control at the concentration of 10.0μg/ml of CsA.The phosphorylation level of PyK2 Y402 was declined under the action of CsA at the concentration of 2.0μg/ml.Conclusions CsA can inhibit the expression of HBsAg,HBeAg and HBV DNA replication in the HepG2.2.15 cell line in a dose-dependent manner.Suppression of the phosphorylation level of PyK2 Y402 maybe involved in the mechanism of the inhibitory activity of CsA on HBV replication.