Relative DNA Methylation and Demethylation Efficiencies during Postnatal Liver Development Regulate Hepatitis B Virus Biosynthesis.

ABSTRACT: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) transcription and replication increase progressively throughout postnatal liver development with maximal viral biosynthesis occurring at around 4 weeks of age in the HBV transgenic mouse model of chronic infection. Increasing viral biosynthesis is associated with a corresponding progressive loss of DNA methylation. The loss of DNA methylation is associated with increasing levels of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) residues which correlate with increased liver-enriched pioneer transcription factor Forkhead box protein A (FoxA) RNA levels, a rapid decline in postnatal liver DNA methyltransferase (Dnmt) transcripts, and a very modest reduction in ten-eleven translocation (Tet) methylcytosine dioxygenase expression. These observations are consistent with the suggestion th

SUBMITTER: Oropeza CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8094951 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature