Enhancement of hepatitis‐B surface‐antigen expression by 5‐azacytidine in a hepatitis‐B‐virus‐transfected cell line

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Abstract
The human hepatoblastoma‐derived cell line HB611 secretes hepatitis‐B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis‐B e antigen (HBeAg) into the medium. Hepatitis‐B‐virus(HBV) DNA integrated into the cellular genome was found to be hypermethylated. When the cells were treated with 5‐azacytidine for 3 days, the level of HBsAg in the medium increased, while the level of HBeAg remained constant. The level of alphafetoprotein (AFP) decreased with the 5‐azacytidine treatment. Southern blot analysis of DNA digested with Hpall or Mspl showed that 5‐azacytidine treatment resulted in hypomethylation of the integrated HBV DNA, suggesting that 5‐azacytidine increased HBsAg production in the cells through hypomethylation of the HBV genomic DNA.