Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41869349›Full record

ReviewFrontiers in immunology2026

Innate immune recognition and evasion strategies of hepatitis B virus: from DNA to RNA and viral proteins.

Zhenghao Chen, Rui Hu, Huajun Ye, Qiuxun Chen, Yuhang Liu, Xinyu Zhang, Yingting Chen, You Wu, Ciliang Jin

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Frontiers in immunology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Zhenghao Chen *Alberta Institute, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
Rui Hu *Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
Huajun YeDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
Qiuxun ChenDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
Yuhang LiuDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
Xinyu ZhangDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
Yingting ChenDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
You WuDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
Ciliang JinDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Innate immunity constrains the hepatitis B virus (HBV) by sensing pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and inducing type I/III interferons and interferon-stimulated genes. This review synthesizes molecular mechanisms by which HBV nucleic acids and proteins are detected by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and how the virus evades such surveillance. At the DNA level, covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) persists as a chromatin-like episome with low immunogenicity; cGAS-STING signaling is functionally dampened, whereas nuclear interferon-inducible protein 16(IFI16) and cytoplasmic/nuclear ABCF1 bind cccDNA to repress transcription, and APOBEC3A-mediated deamination requires robust interferon signaling. At the RNA level, TLR3/7/8 and retinoic acid-inducible Gene I(RIG-I) sense circulating HBV RNA and 5'-triphosphate pregenomic RNA, respectively. HBV counteracts RIG-I-like receptor (RLR) pathways through ADAR1 editing, TIAR-dependent translational control, and a metabolic checkpoint involving lactate-MAVS/hexokinase, whereas spliced viral RNAs (svRNAs) have emerged as immunologically relevant species. At the protein level, Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) impairs interferons (IFN) induction by blocking the TAK1-TAB2-NF-κB/IRF axis; Hepatitis B Virus X Protein (HBx) sustains cccDNA transcription via DDB1-directed Smc5/6 degradation and broadly suppresses PRR/IFN signaling, with TRIM25 acting as a host restriction factor. These insights nominate combinatorial strategies-PRR agonists (TLR/STING), MAVS sensitization, metabolic disinhibition, pharmacological disruption of the HBx-DDB1 axis, and reinforcement of IFI16/ABCF1-to achieve functional control of cccDNA and advance curative hepatitis B virus (HBV) therapy.

Indexed as

DNA, ViralHepatitis BHepatitis B virusImmune EvasionImmunity, InnateRNA, ViralViral ProteinsAnimalscGAS-STING Signaling PathwayHost-Pathogen InteractionsHumansInnate Immunity RecognitionReceptors, Pattern RecognitionSignal TransductionDNA, ViralReceptors, Pattern RecognitionRNA, ViralViral ProteinscccDNAcGAS–STINGHBxhepatitis B virusimmune evasioninnate immunityPRRsRIG-I/MAVS

Identifiers

PMID41869349
PMCPMC13003344

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.