Preventive Effects of a Major Component of Green Tea, Epigallocathechin-3-Gallate, on Hepatitis-B Virus DNA Replication

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> Hepatitis B virus infection is one of the major world health problems. Epigallocatechin-3 gallateis the major component of the polyphenolic fraction of green tea and it has an anti-viral, anti-mutagenic, antitumorigenic,anti-angiogenic, anti-proliferative, and/or pro-apoptotic effects on mammalian cells. In this study,our aim was to investigate the inhibition of HBV replication by epigallocatechin-3 gallate in the Hep3B2.1-7hepatocellular carcinoma cell line. Materials and <br/><b>Methods</b>: HBV-replicating Hep3B2.1-7 cells were used toinvestigate the preventive effects of epigallocatechin-3 gallate on HBV DNA replication. The expression levels ofHBsAg and HBeAg were determined using ELISA. Quantitative real-time-PCR was applied for the determinationof the expression level of HBV DNA. <br/><b>Results</b>: Cytotoxicity of epigallocathechin-3-gallate was not observed inthe hepatic carcinoma cell line when the dose was lower than 100 μM. The ELISA method demonstrated thatepigallocatechin-3 gallate have strong effects on HBsAg and HBeAg levels. Also it was detected by real-timePCR that epigallocatechin-3 gallate could prevent HBV DNA replication. <br/><b>Conclusions</b>: The obtained datapointed out that although the exact mechanism of HBV DNA replication and related diseases remains unclear,epigallocatechin-3 gallate has a potential as an effective anti-HBV agent with low toxicity.