FIGURE 7.

Hypothetical model of the anti-HBV activity of the Mucroporin-M1 peptide. Mucroporin-M1 activates the MAPK pathway (ERK, JNK, and p38) and subsequently down-regulates the expression of HNF4α, resulting in a reduction in the interaction between HNF4α and the HBV promoters. Mucroporin-M1 diminishes HBV replication by blocking HBV RNA expression. These findings indicate that the ERK and JNK pathways regulate the expression of HNF4α but that the p38 pathway does not, which suggests that the Mucroporin-M1 peptide may be a good molecular probe for studying the MAPK pathway.