Abstract
INFECTION with hepatitis B virus (HBV) is widespread and increasing in incidence in many countries. Unfortunately, there is as yet no effective chemotherapy. The hepatitis B virion is unique in that it contains both circular DNA and a DNA polymerase enzyme (for review see ref. 1). After the description of the enzyme2 in concentrated preparations of hepatitis B antigen (HBAg) containing Dane particles it was shown that enzyme activity was inhibited by intercalating agents such as ethidium bromide3. We have extended these early studies to include intercalating agents that can be safely administered to patients. We show here that several intercalating agents in clinical use inhibit the hepatitis B (HB) DNA polymerase reaction in vitro and we discuss the implications of these findings for the therapy of hepatitis B infection.
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HIRSCHMAN, S., GARFINKEL, E. Inhibition of hepatitis B DNA polymerase by intercalating agents. Nature 271, 681–683 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/271681a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/271681a0
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