Hepatitis B virus X protein enhances NFkappaB activity through cooperating with VBP1.

Hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) is essential for hepatitis B virus infection and exerts a pleiotropic effect on various cellular machineries. HBx has been also demonstrated as an indirect transcriptional transactivator of various different viral and cellular promoters. In addition, HBx is involved in the development of various liver diseases including hepatocellular carcinoma. However the mechanism of HBx in hepatocellular carcinogenesis remains largely unknown. In this study, to identify possible new cellular proteins interacting with HBx, we carried out yeast two-hybrid assay. We obtained several possible cellular partners including VBP1, a binding factor for VHL tumor suppressor protein. The direct physical interaction between HBx and VBP1 in vitro and in vivo was confirmed by immunoprecipitation assay. In addition, we found that VBP1 facilitates HBx-induced NFkappaB activation and cell proliferation. These results implicate the important role of HBx in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma through its interaction with VBP1.