# STUDIES ON THE REPLICATION AND ONCOGENICITY OF HBV

> **NIH NIH R01** · MOUNT SINAI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE OF CUNY · 1988 · $168,443

## Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major human pathogen, infection with
which can lead to the development of cirrhosis and hepatocellular
carcinoma.  Persistant infection occurs in about 200 million
people and is associated with different histological types of
chronic liver disease reflecting varying levels of active
hepatocyte damage and inflammation.  In the last few years, vast
amounts of information has accumulated relative to the structure
of the virion, the genetic organization and replication of the
virus, as well as the transcription and translation of viraal genes.
The replicative cycle as well as the pathobiology,  including the
oncogenicity of HVB, could not be elucidated due to the absence
of a tissue culture system in which the virus replicates.  However,
we succeeded in transfecting HEP G2 cells, derived from a human
hepatoblastoma, with HBV DNA.  A cell lines was established
from these transfected cells which contains integrated and
episomal HBV DNA and supports complete HBV replication.  The
availability of this line should abolish most of the logistic
problems encountered so far.  It is now experimentally feasible to
study:  a) the effect of hormones, growth factors, and antiviral
agents on the replicaton as well as to idenify liver specific trans-
cating factors involved in the replicative cycle; b) the immune
response to these cells, which accumulate both surface and core
antigens on their membranes; and c) the carcinogenic or co-
carcinogenic effect of HBV by injecting these cells into nude mice
before or after treatment with carcinogens, or tumor promoters.
In addition, the oncogenic potential of HBV will be also studied by
transfecting HBV DNA into an "immortalized" human liver cell
line obtained by transfecting fetal human liver cells with a
plasmid containing SV40 DNA mutated at the origin of
replication.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3172648
- **Project number:** 2R01CA034818-04A1
- **Recipient organization:** MOUNT SINAI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE OF CUNY
- **Principal Investigator:** GEORGE ACS
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $168,443
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1984-03-15 → 1991-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3172648

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3172648, STUDIES ON THE REPLICATION AND ONCOGENICITY OF HBV (2R01CA034818-04A1). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3172648. Licensed CC0.

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