Therapeutic vaccination against chronic hepatitis B virus infection

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1386-6532(05)80019-8Get rights and content

Abstract

Chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma due to chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection pose a major public health problem in highly endemic regions. Effective vaccines against HBV exist but more than 370 million people remain chronically infected with HBV

For these patients there is a high risk to develop cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Currently available therapies fail to control viral replication in the long term in most patients. Viral persistence has been associated with a defect in the development of HBV specific cellular immunity. Strategies to boost or to broaden the weak virus-specific T-cell response of patients with chronic hepatitis B have been proposed as a means of curing this persistent infection. HBV envelope- and nucleocapsid-based vaccines, new formulations for recombinant vaccines and DNA-based vaccines are currently being assessed in clinical trials. Improvements are clearly required, but vaccination is likely to be the cheapest and potentially most beneficial treatment.

References (53)

  • PancholiP. et al.

    DNA prime/canarypox boost-based immunotherapy of chronic hepatitis B virus infection in a chimpanzee

    Hepatology

    (2001)
  • PolS. et al.

    Specific vaccine therapy in chronic hepatitis B infection

    Lancet

    (1994)
  • PolS. et al.

    Efficacy and limitations of a specific immunotherapy in chronic hepatitis B

    J Hepatol

    (2001)
  • PrinceA.M. et al.

    Successful nucleic acid based immunization of newborn chimpanzees against hepatitis B virus

    Vaccine

    (1997)
  • RollierC. et al.

    Protective and therapeutic effect of DNA-based immunization against hepadnavirus large envelope protein

    Gastroenterology

    (1999)
  • RoyM.J. et al.

    Induction of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells, T helper cells, and protective levels of antibody in humans by particle-mediated administration of a hepatitis B virus DNA vaccine

    Vaccine

    (2000)
  • SafadiR. et al.

    Treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infection via oral immune regulation toward hepatitis B virus proteins

    Am J Gastroenterol

    (2003)
  • ShouvalD. et al.

    Transplantation of hepatitis B immune lymphocytes as means for adoptive transfer of immunity to hepatitis B virus

    J Hepatol

    (1995)
  • TacketC.O. et al.

    Phase 1 safety and immune response studies of a DNA vaccine encoding hepatitis B surface antigen delivered by a gene delivery device

    Vaccine

    (1999)
  • WenY.M. et al.

    Hepatitis B vaccine and anti-HBs complex as approach for vaccine therapy [letter]

    Lancet

    (1995)
  • AlomanC. et al.

    Resistance of HBV to adefovir dipivoxil: a case for combination antiviral therapy?

    Hepatology

    (2003)
  • CalarotaS.A. et al.

    Immune responses in asymptomatic HIV-1-infected patients after HIV DNA immunization followed by highly active antiretroviral treatment

    J Immunol

    (1999)
  • CelisE. et al.

    Modulation of the immunological response to hepatitis B virus by antibodies

    Hepatology

    (1987)
  • ChisadF.V.

    Hepatitis B virus immunopathogenesis

    Annu Rev Immunol

    (1995)
  • CouillinI. et al.

    Specific vaccine therapy in chronic hepatitis B: induction of T cell proliferative responses specific for envelope antigens

    J Infect Dis

    (1999)
  • DahmenA. et al.

    Clinical and immunological efficacy of intradermal vaccine plus lamivudine with or without interleukin-2 in patients with chronic hepatitis B

    J Med Virol

    (2002)

    • Cited by (0)

    View full text
    Copyright © 2005 Published by Elsevier B.V.