Glycosylation in viral hepatitis

• Published in: Biochimica et biophysica acta. General subjects Vol. 1865; no. 11; p. 129997
• Main Authors: Gruszewska, Ewa, Grytczuk, Agnieszka, Chrostek, Lech
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.11.2021
• Subjects: biomarkers; biosynthesis; blood serum; chronic hepatitis; fibrosis; Glycoproteins; Glycosylation; humans; liver; N-glycome; polysaccharides; Viral hepatitis; viruses; Viral hepatitis; Glycosylation; Glycoproteins; N-glycome
• ISSN: 0304-4165; 1872-8006; 1872-8006
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2021.129997

The interaction between hepatitis viruses and host cells is regulated by glycans exposed on the surfaces of human and viruses cells. As the biosynthesis and degradation of human glycoproteins take place at the highest level in the liver, the changes in glycosylation of serum proteins may potentially be useful in the diagnosis of liver pathology. On the other hand, specific alterations in viruses envelope glycans could cause large changes in the entry process of hepatitis viruses into a host cells. Unique alterations in glycosylation of specific proteins can be detected in HBV and HCV infected patients especially with confirmed fibrosis/cirrhosis. On the other hand, viral envelope proteins that bind to host cells are glycosylated. These glycosylated proteins play a key role in recognition, binding and penetration of the host cells. In this review we summarized the knowledge about significance of glycosylation for viral and host factors. Glycosylation changes in single serum glycoproteins are noticed in the sera of patients with viral hepatitis. However, a more specific biomarker for the diagnosis of chronic hepatitis than that of a single glycosylated molecule is systemic investigation of complete set of glycan structures (N-glycome). Glycans play important roles in the viral biology cycle especially as a connecting element with host receptors. The interaction between virus glycoproteins and cellular receptors, which are also glycoproteins, determines the possibility of virus penetration into host cells. Therefore these glycans can be the targets for the developing of novel treatment strategies of viral hepatitis. •A more specific biomarker for the diagnosis of chronic viral hepatitis than the specifically altered glycoproteins is the complete structure of the N-glycome.•Connections between glycans and liver pathology is diagnostic potential for more sensitive serum biomarkers for viral liver diseases. Measurement of alteration in glycan structure of specific glycoproteins and total glycome sets in viral hepatitis may become alternatives to invasive liver biopsy.