BIOLOGICAL EFFICACY AND SIGNAL-TRANSDUCTION THROUGH STAT PROTEINS OF RECOMBINANT DUCK INTERFERON IN DUCK HEPATITIS-B VIRUS-INFECTION

The aim of this study was to characterize the interferon induced intra cellular signals in duck hepatocytes and to investigate the effects of duck interferon on virus replication in duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) infected ducks. Interestingly, duck interferon was found to activate intracellular signal transduction pathways similar to those of its mam malian counterparts. An interferon stimulated gel shift activity like that of gene factor 3 is induced, as well as serum inducible element b inding factors homologous to serum inducible factor A (SIF-A), SIF-B a nd SIF-C. Duck interferon induced signal transducer and activator of t ranscription activation is not inhibited by DHBV infection of hepatocy tes. DHBV infected ducks treated for 10 days with recombinant duck int erferon show a decrease in viral DNA in hepatocytes, and in many cases disappearance of viraemia. These findings confirm the usefulness of t he DHBV infection model for the study of human hepatitis B virus infec tion.