Table 1.
Immunotherapeutic approaches for animal models of hepatitis B virus infection
| Animal model | Immunotherapy | Results | Ref. |
| Peptide vaccination | |||
| HBV transgenic mice | A synthesized fusion peptide, consisting HBcAg18-27 and HIV Tat49-57 | Decrease in serum HBV DNA levels and the expression levels of HBsAg and HBcAg in the liver | [40] |
| Protein vaccination | |||
| HBV transgenic mice | HBsAg vaccine | Most of the mice showed reduction of HBV DNA levels and disappearance of HBeAg and HBsAg | [41] |
| Woodchuck hepatitis virus infection | Combination of vaccine of HBV large surface protein and clevudine | Restoration of T-cell response to Pre-S and S region | [42] |
| DNA immunization | |||
| Acute DHBV infection | DNA vaccine expressing DHBc and Pre-S/S and entecavir Boosted with fowl poxvirus vectors expressing DHBc and Pre-S/S | Clearance of DHBV infection at a rate of 100% | [43] |
| Chronic DHBV infection | DNA vaccine encoding the HBV large envelope and/or core protein with or without lamivudine | Reduction of viremia and liver DHBV cccDNA in 33% of ducks Seroconversion to anti-pre S in 67% of ducks showing cccDNA clearance | [44] |
| DC immunization | |||
| HBV transgenic mice | Activated bone marrow-derived DCs | Break CTL tolerance to HBsAg | [45] |
| HBV transgenic mice | Anti-CD40 agonistic monoclonal Ab | Induction of noncytopathic inhibition of HBV replication mediated by antiviral cytokines (IL-12 and TNF-α) produced by activated intrahepatic APCs | [46] |
| HBV transgenic mice | HBV-specific peptide-pulsed DCs | Reductions in the serum HBsAg and HBV DNA | [47] |
| Cytokines and adjuvants | |||
| HBV transgenic mice | Recombinant IL-12 | Marked inhibition of HBV replication in the liver | [48] |
| HBV transgenic mice | α-galactosylceramide that can activate NK T cells | Complete inhibition of HBV replication | [49] |
| HBV transgenic mice | Recombinant IL-18 | Inhibition of HBV replication noncytopathically, mediated by activation of resident intrahepatic NK cells and NK T cells | [50] |
| Gene therapy | |||
| HBsAg transgenic mice | Lentivectors expressing HBsAg and IgFc fusion Ag | Induction of seroconversion to anti-HBs | [51] |
HBV: Hepatitis B virus; DHBV: Duck HBV; DC: Dendritic cell; HBsAg: Hepatitis B surface antigen; HBcAg: Hepatitis B core antigen; HIV: Human immunodeficiency virus; APC: Antigen-presenting cell; IL: Interleukin; NK: Natural killer; CTL: Cytotoxic T lymphocyte; TNF: Tumor necrosis factor; cccDNA: Covalently closed circular DNA; Ab: Antibody; Ag: Antigen.