How Histone Deacetylase 3 Controls Hepcidin Expression and Hepatitis C Virus Replication

Abstract

The key role of histone deacetylases (HDACs) in the regulation of the cellular response to infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) was first demonstrated in 2008. Studying the metabolism of iron in the liver tissues of patients with chronic hepatitis C, the authors found that the expression of the hepcidin gene (HAMP), a hormone regulator of iron export, is markedly reduced in hepatocytes under conditions of oxidative stress caused by viral infection. HDACs were involved in the regulation of hepcidin expression through the control of acetylation level of histones and transcription factors, primarily STAT3, associated with the HAMP promoter. The purpose of this review is to summarize current data on the functioning of the HCV-HDAC3-STAT3-HAMP regulatory circuit as an example of a well-characterized interaction between the virus and the epigenetic apparatus of the host cell.