Proliferation of hepatitis B virus infected human hepatocytes in humanized mice treated with the entry inhibitor Myrcludex-B induces strong cccDNA reduction and maintenance of ccc…

In chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, the viral genome forms a stable minichromosome, the covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), which can persist throughout the hepatocyte lifespan. Immune mediated cell injury and compensatory cell growth, however, appear to favor cccDNA destabilization, leading to the selection of cccDNA-free hepatocytes. Aim of the study was to determine the proliferative capacities of HBV-infected human hepatocytes in vivo as well as the impact of liver regeneration on intrahepatic cccDNA loads in human-liver chimeric uPA/SCID mice treated for sixty days with the entry inhibitor My…