Anti-hepatitis B virus activity of lithospermic acid, a polyphenol from Salvia miltiorrhiza, in vitro and in vivo by autophagy regulation

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Salvia miltiorrhiza (the roots of S. miltiorrhiza Bunge, Danshen in Chinese), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been clinically used to prevent and treat various diseases, such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes, and hepatitis B, in China and some other Asian countries. Lithospermic acid (LA), a polyphenol derived from S. miltiorrhiza, has been reported to exhibit multiple pharmacological properties, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-HIV, and anti-carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury activities. However, little is known about the anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) activity of LA.

Aim of the study: The study was projected to investigate the anti-HBV activity of LA in vitro (HepG2.2.15 and pHBV1.3-transfected HepG2 cells) and in vivo (pAAV-HBV1.2 hydrodynamic injection [HBV-HDI] mice) and explore the potential mechanism as well.

Materials and methods: Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) contents were detected by ELISA kits. HBV DNA and Hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) levels were evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry assay, respectively. The proteins in Autophagy process, lysosomal acidic function, and autophagy-related signaling pathways were examined by Western blot. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the number of autophagosomes and autolysosomes. Confocal microscopy was applied to analyze the autophagic flux and lysosomal acidification, using mCherry-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-microtubule-associated protein LIGHT chain (LC)3 and lysosomal probes, respectively.

Results: LA exhibited anti-HBV activity by inhibiting HBV DNA replication in HepG2.2.15 and pHBV-transfected HepG2 cells in dose- and time-dependent manners and hampering HBsAg and HBeAg levels in HepG2.2.15 cells to a certain extent. LA reduced HBV DNA, HBsAg/HBeAg, and HBcAg levels in the serum/liver tissues of HBV-HDI C57BL/6 mice during the 3-week treatment and suppressed the withdrawal rebound of HBV DNA and HBsAg in the mice serum. LA increased LC3-II protein expression and the number of autolysosomes/autophagosomes and promoted the degradation of sequestosome 1(p62) protein in vitro and in vivo. LA enhanced the co-localization of LC3 protein with autolysosomes, further confirming the ability of LA to induce a complete Autophagy. Knockdown of autophagy-related gene (Atg) 7 or 5 in vitro and administration of 3-methyladenine (an autophagic inhibitor) in vivo disabled the inhibitory efficacy of LA on HBV DNA replication, suggesting that the anti-HBV efficacy of LA depended on its ability of inducing Autophagy. LA could enhance lysosomal acidification and improve the function of lysosomes by promoting the protein expression of lysosomal-associated membrane protein (LAMP)-1, LAMP-2, and mature Cathepsin D, which may contribute to the autophagic induction of LA. LA inhibited the activation of Akt and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) induced by HBV, which was reversed by IGF-1 (an agonist of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway), indicating that LA elicited Autophagy through hampering the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

Conclusion: We revealed the anti-HBV activity and mechanism of LA in vitro and in vivo. This study facilitates a new understanding of the anti-HBV potent components of S. miltiorrhiza and sheds LIGHT on LA for further development as an active constituent or candidate used in the therapy against HBV Infection.

Antiviral; Autophagy; Hepatitis B virus; Lithospermic acid; Polyphenols; Traditional Chinese medicine.