miR-146 promotes HBV replication and expression by targeting ZEB2

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is associated with the development of a wide spectrum of liver diseases. The involvement of miRNAs in HBV replication is being gradually identified. Among these miRNAs, miR-146a expression was found to be positively correlated with HBV replication levels. However, the regulatory relationship between miR-146a and HBV replication is still unclear. In the present study, miR-146a was upregulated in HBV-expressing HepG2.2.15 cells compared with HepG2 cells. Overexpression of miR-146a or knockdown of Zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 2 (ZEB2) promoted HBV replication and expression, while downregulation of miR-146a or overexpression of ZEB2 suppressed HBV replication and expression. In addition, miR-146a was demonstrated to directly target ZEB2. Furthermore, ZEB2 silencing abated anti-miR-146a-induced inhibition on HBV replication and expression. These findings suggested that miR-146a promoted HBV replication by targeting ZEB2, providing a new antiviral strategy for HBV infection.