Peroxisome Proliferator‐Activated Receptors in HBV‐Related Infection

Thirty years after its discovery, the hepatitis B virus (HBV) still remains a major global public health problem. Worldwide, two billion subjects have been infected, 350 million have a chronic infection and more than 600 000 die annually of HBV-related liver disease or hepatocellular carcinoma; new infections occur because of the presence of a large reservoir of chronic carriers of the virus. Since a decade several studies describe the interrelations between HBV and nuclear receptors and more particularly the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs). After a brief introduction, this review will make a rapid description of HBV incidence and biology. Then a report of the literature on the role of PPARs on viral transcription and replication will be developed. Finally, the role of HBV on PPAR γ expression and activity will be discussed. Concluding remarks and perspectives will close this review.