MicroRNA‑20 induces methylation of hepatitis B virus covalently closed circular DNA in human hepatoma cells.

ABSTRACT: Methylation was suggested to suppress the transcriptional activity of hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in hepatocytes. This may be associated with its low replicative activity during the inactive stage of chronic HBV infection; however, the exact mechanisms of methylation in HBV infection remain unknown. We have previously shown that short hairpin RNAs induced the methylation of the HBV genome in hepatoma cell lines. We also reported that the microRNA (miR) 17‑92 cluster negatively regulates HBV replication in human hepatoma cells. In addition, miR‑20a, a member of the miR 17‑92 cluster, has sequence homology with the short hairpin RNA that induces HBV methylation. In the present study, we investigated whether miR‑20a can function as an endogenous effector of

SUBMITTER: Moon IY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6691198 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature