Control of hepatitis B virus replication by interferons and Toll-like receptor signaling pathways

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the major causes of liver diseases, affecting more than 350 million people worldwide.The interferon (IFN)-mediated innate immune responses could restrict HBV replication at the different steps of viral life cycle.Indeed, IFN-α has been successfully used for treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B. However, the role of the innate immune response in HBV replication and the mechanism of the anti-HBV effect of IFN-α are not completely explored.In this review, we summarized the currently available knowledge about the IFN-mediated anti-HBV effect in the HBV life cycle and the possible effectors downstream the IFN signaling pathway.The antiviral effect of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in HBV replication is briefly discussed.The strategies exploited by HBV to evade the IFN-and TLR-mediated antiviral actions are summarized.