摘要: 慢性乙型肝炎功能性治愈的定義是在停止抗病毒治療后至少24周,HBsAglt;0. 05 IU/mL,血清HBV DNAlt;10 IU/mL。這需要抑制HBV復(fù)制、降低病毒抗原產(chǎn)生,同時恢復(fù)對HBV感染的免疫應(yīng)答。約30%~50%接受核苷(酸)類似物治療并經(jīng)嚴(yán)格選擇的慢性乙型肝炎患者,加用或單用聚乙二醇干擾素α治療,或經(jīng)核苷(酸)類似物有限療程治療后HBsAglt;100 IU/mL者,可獲得功能性治愈。目前有40余種新的抗HBV藥物和免疫調(diào)節(jié)劑正在進行臨床試驗。抑制HBV復(fù)制、降低病毒抗原,以及提高HBV感染免疫應(yīng)答藥物的聯(lián)合應(yīng)用,可能是慢性乙型肝炎功能性治愈的理想治療策略。但確定最佳的聯(lián)合、用藥時間、用藥順序和治療期限等尚需進一步研究。
關(guān)鍵詞: 乙型肝炎, 慢性; 乙型肝炎病毒; 功能性治愈; 完全治愈; 抗病毒藥
Functional cure of chronic hepatitis B is not a dream
ZHUANG Hui
Department of Microbiology and Center of Infectious Diseases, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, ChinaCorresponding author: ZHUANG Hui, zhuangbmu@126.com (ORCID: 0000-0001-9119-6325)Abstract: Functional cure of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is defined as HBsAglt;0.05 IU/mL and serum HBV DNAlt;10 IU/mL for at least24 weeks after discontinuation of antiviral therapy. This requires suppression of HBV replication and reduction of viral antigenproduction, as well as restoration of immune response to HBV infection. About 30% — 50% of highly selected CHB patients treated withnucleos(t)ide analogues can achieve functional cure after add-on therapy or monotherapy with pegylated interferon-α or a finitecourse of treatment with nucleos(t)ide analogues among patients with HBsAglt;100 IU/mL. At present, clinical trials are beingconducted for more than 40 types of novel anti-HBV drugs and immunomodulators. The combination of drugs that inhibit viralreplication, reduce antigen burden, and restore immune response to HBV infection may be an ideal strategy to achieve thefunctional cure of CHB. However, further studies are needed to determine the optimal drug combination, the timing and sequenceof medication, and the duration of treatment.
Key words: Hepatitis B, Chronic; Hepatitis B Virus; Functional Cure; Complete Cure; Antiviral Agents
HBV復(fù)制率高,每天約產(chǎn)生1萬億個完整的病毒顆粒,以及只含HBsAg的亞病毒顆粒,后者不能復(fù)制,也不能感染,但其含量較完整的HBV高1 000~100 000倍[1-2]。血液循環(huán)中的大量HBsAg可導(dǎo)致慢性HBV感染者免疫耗竭,而自發(fā)、或聚乙二醇干擾素α(PEG-IFN-α)或核苷(酸)類似物[nucleos(t)ide analogues, NAs]治療后,發(fā)生HBeAg 或 HBsAg 消失者可恢復(fù) HBV 特異性 T 淋巴細(xì)胞免疫應(yīng)答[3-7] 。最近研究顯示,小干擾 RNA (smallinterfering RNA, siRNA)治療后,HBsAg顯著下降的患者可恢復(fù)HBV T淋巴細(xì)胞特異性免疫應(yīng)答[8],結(jié)果提示,至少一部分慢性乙型肝炎(CHB)患者在HBV復(fù)制和HBsAg產(chǎn)生被抑制后,HBV特異性T淋巴細(xì)胞免疫應(yīng)答可以恢復(fù)。因此,HBsAg消失對HBV特異性T淋巴細(xì)胞免疫應(yīng)答恢復(fù)和CHB治愈具有重要意義。
CHB完全治愈(徹底治愈)是指肝細(xì)胞中HBV cccDNA和整合的HBV DNA消失。但目前由于無消除cccDNA和整合HBV DNA的新藥、無商品化和標(biāo)準(zhǔn)化檢測cccDNA及整合的 HBV DNA試劑,很難達到這一治療目標(biāo)[8-9] 。目前,抗HBV的現(xiàn)有藥物和新藥臨床試驗的主要治療終點是功能性治愈,其定義是: (1)HBsAglt;0. 05 IU/mL(伴或不伴抗-HBs 陽轉(zhuǎn));(2)HBV DNAlt;10 IU/mL;(3)HBeAg血清學(xué)轉(zhuǎn)換(伴或不伴抗-HBe陽性);(4)抗-HBc陽性;(5)ALTlt;正常值上限(ULN:男30 U/L,女19 U/L); (6)肝組織學(xué)明顯改善;(7)持久維持;(8)ccc DNA存在,不活動;(9)整合的HBV DNA存在,但減少;(10)鞏固治療24周;(11)停藥后24周上述指標(biāo)仍維持不變[8-14](圖1)。
1 現(xiàn)行抗HBV藥物的功能性治愈
NAs治療后,對優(yōu)勢人群加用或單用PEG-IFN-α治療達到功能性治愈 NAs治療后的所謂優(yōu)勢人群是指:(1)HBV DNAlt;10 IU/mL;(2)HBeAg血清學(xué)轉(zhuǎn)換(抗-HBe陽轉(zhuǎn)); (3)HBsAglt;500 IU/mL; (4)ALTlt;ULN。對該類CHB患者,加用 PEG-IFN-α 治療,基線 HBsAg≤100 IU/mL、≤200 IU/mL 和≤500 IU/mL 的 CHB 功能性治愈率分別53. 02%、30. 29% 和 20. 04%;單用 PEG-IFN-α 治療,基線HBsAg≤100 IU/mL、≤200 IU/mL和≤500 IU/mL功能性治愈率分別55. 84%、27. 32%和19. 12%[15](圖2)。
Gao 等[16] 檢測 47 例功能性治愈 CHB 患者的肝內(nèi)HBV cccDNA和HBV DNA發(fā)現(xiàn),23. 4%的患者上述2項指標(biāo)均為陰性,提示已達到完全治愈(徹底治愈)。
1. 2 應(yīng)用NAs有限療程,獲得功能性治愈 Hirode等[17]報道一項國際多中心、多人種隊列研究(RETRACT-BStudy),對1 552例CHB患者于NAs停藥后隨訪4年,停藥時HBsAg水平低的患者HBsAg消失率較高。對于亞洲CHB患者,停藥時HBsAglt;100 IU/mL和≥100 IU/mL患者的HBsAg消失率分別為33%和2%。對于白人CHB患者,停藥時 HBsAglt;1 000 IU/mL 和≥1 000 IU/mL 患者的HBsAg消失率分別為 41%和 5%。因此,對于亞洲 CHB患者,NAs 治療至 HBsAglt;100 IU/mL 可停藥;對于白人CHB患者,NAs治療至HBsAglt;1 000 IU/mL時可停藥。但兩者均須在確保密切監(jiān)測的情況下,方可停藥。
一項納入24篇文獻、3 732例CHB患者的薈萃分析結(jié)果顯示,對于亞洲 CHB 患者,停藥時 HBsAglt;100 IU/mL者,與停藥時HBsAg≥100 IU/mL者比較,其HBsAg消失率高(28. 3% vs 2%)、病毒學(xué)復(fù)發(fā)率低(33. 4% vs 72. 1%)、生化學(xué)復(fù)發(fā)率低(17. 3% vs 48. 1%)。對于白人CHB患者,停藥時HBsAglt;1 000 IU/mL患者的HBsAg消失率高于停藥時HBsAg≥1 000 IU/mL者(38. 4% vs 6. 4%),但其病毒學(xué)復(fù)發(fā)率和生化學(xué)復(fù)發(fā)率均低于停藥時HBsAg≥1 000 IU/mL者,分別為52. 7% vs 63. 8%和15. 9% vs 26. 4%[18]。
對于亞洲CHB患者,NAs有限療程的優(yōu)勢人群是:(1)HBsAglt;100 IU/mL;(2)HBeAg 血清學(xué)轉(zhuǎn)換(抗-HBe陽性);(3)HBV DNAlt;10 IU/mL;(4)ALT
NAs 治療有限療程停藥后必須確保密切監(jiān)測,停藥后前3個月,每月檢測1次ALT和HBV DNA,之后每2~3月檢測1次ALT和HBV DNA,評價其是否需要再治療。1年后每3~6個月監(jiān)測1次[17]。
2 提高CHB功能性治愈率的新藥
2. 1 反義寡核苷酸Bepirovirsen (BPV) Ⅱb期臨床試驗BPV Ⅱb期B-Clear多中心隨機開放臨床試驗,將入組的CHB 患者隨機分為 A、B、C、D 4 組,A 組每周皮下注射BPV 300 mg,連續(xù)治療24周,該組進一步分為NAs治療組(68例)和初治組(70例),停藥時兩組HBsAg消失率分別為26%和29%,停藥后24周時,兩組HBsAg消失率分別為12%和14%[21]。
BPV Ⅱb期B-Together多中心隨機開放臨床試驗中,CHB患者每周皮下注射BPV 300 mg,連續(xù)治療24周,之后每周皮下注射PEG-IFN-α 180 μg,治療24周,PEG-IFN-α停藥后隨訪24周,所有入組患者的HBsAg和HBV DNA消失率為9%(5/55),基線HBsAg≤3 000 IU/mL患者的HBsAg和HBV DNA消失率為14%(5/37)(圖4)。上述結(jié)果提示,BPV與PEG-IFN-α序貫治療可提高HBsAg和HBV DNA消失率[22]。BPV Ⅲ期臨床試驗(B-Well)正在進行中[23-24]。
2. 2 siRNA Xalnesiran (RG6346)的Ⅱ期臨床試驗 羅氏公司研發(fā)的Xalnesiran聯(lián)合PEG-IFN-α或Ruzotolimod(一種Toll樣受體7激動劑)Ⅱ期臨床試驗的入組患者標(biāo)準(zhǔn)是:(1)CHB≥6個月;(2)NAs治療≥12個月;(3) HBVDNAlt;定量下限(LLOQ)或lt;20 IU/mL;(4)ALTlt;1. 5×ULN;(5)無肝硬化。將入組的 CHB患者隨機分為 5組:A組30 例,Xalnesiran (100 mg,每 4 周皮下注射)+ NAs,治療48周;B組30例,Xalnesiran (200 mg,每4周皮下注射)+NAs,治療48周;C組34例,Xalnesiran (200 mg,每4周皮下注射)+NAs,治療 48 周,另于第 12~24 周和第 36~49周分別每日1次口服Ruzotolimod 150 mg;D組30例,Xalnesiran(200 mg,每 4 周皮下注射)+NAs+PEG-IFN-α(180 μg,每周皮下注射1次),治療48周;E組36例,服用NAs作為對照組。但各組患者均持續(xù)服用NAs,直至符合停藥標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。A、B、C、D和 E組于停藥后均隨訪 24周,其HBsAg消失(lt;0. 05 IU/mL)率分別為7%、3%、12%、23%和 0%,提示 Xalnesiran聯(lián)合 PEG-IFNα或 Ruzotolimod 可提高HBsAg消失率。但HBsAg消失只見于基線HBsAglt;1 000 IU/mL的CHB患者[25-26]。
2. 3 衣殼組裝調(diào)節(jié)劑(capsid assembly modulator, CAM)+siRNA+NAs Ⅱb 期臨床試驗(REEF-2) CAM+siRNA+NAs Ⅱb期臨床試驗(REEF-2)為雙盲、安慰劑對照隨機研究,入組 130 例經(jīng) NAs 治療 HBV DNA 完全抑制的HBeAg 陰性 CHB 患者,試驗組 85 例,接受 JNJ-3989(siRNA, 200 mg,每4周皮下注射1次)+JNJ-6379 (CAM,250 mg,每日口服 1 次)+NAs(每日口服);安慰劑組用JNJ-3989 安慰劑+JNJ-6379 安慰劑+NAs,兩組均治療48周,停藥后隨訪48周。
隨訪至停藥后24周和48周,無1例患者獲得功能性治愈(HBsAg消失),但治療至48周,試驗組HBsAg平均下降水平較安慰劑組顯著(1. 89 log 10 IU/mL vs 0. 06 log 10 IU/mL,P=0. 001);隨訪至48周時,試驗組HBsAg水平較基線下降gt;1 log 10 IU/mL 占 81. 5%,安慰劑組僅為 12. 5%;試驗組HBsAglt;100 IU/mL患者占比大于安慰劑組(46. 9% vs15. 0%)。停藥后,試驗組HBV DNA復(fù)陽和ALT升高率(再治療率)低于安慰劑組(9. 1% vs 26. 8%)。上述結(jié)果提示,CAM+siRNA+NAs聯(lián)合治療可明顯降低HBsAg水平,但無1例獲得功能性治愈[27]。
2. 4 Ⅱ期臨床試驗在研免疫調(diào)節(jié)劑新藥 目前有多種CHB免疫調(diào)節(jié)劑進入Ⅱ期 臨床試驗(表1), 但至今尚無一種被證明可獲得功能性治愈[28]。
3 聯(lián)合治療
其他感染性疾病如艾滋病和丙型肝炎藥物聯(lián)合治療的成功經(jīng)驗表明,慢性HBV感染要達到功能性治愈也需要聯(lián)合治療。雖然目前已有NAs和PEG-IFN-α抗HBV藥物,并有40余種新藥正在研發(fā)中,但功能性治愈方案主要還是憑臨床實踐經(jīng)驗,缺乏對控制 HBV 復(fù)制和HBsAg消失機制的深入認(rèn)識。目前功能性治愈最有希望的治療策略是抑制病毒復(fù)制、降低HBV抗原產(chǎn)生、恢復(fù)對HBV的免疫應(yīng)答(圖5)[28]。
目前,聯(lián)合治療的研究焦點是何時聯(lián)合、不同藥物如何序貫治療及其治療的持續(xù)時間等。此外,可能還需要考慮如何基于CHB患者基線HBeAg狀況、HBV DNA載量、HBsAg水平,以及有無肝硬化等因素,制訂個體化的治療方案。
道長且阻,行則將至!CHB功能性治愈不是夢,人類終將完全治愈HBV感染!
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收稿日期:2024-11-16;錄用日期:2024-11-28本文編輯:劉曉紅