NTCP Transporter as Novel Target for Anti-Hepatitis B Virus Agents

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) constitutes a serious public health problem worldwide, and its chronic infection elevates the risk of developing liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The current anti-HBV agents are limited to interferon-based regimens and nucleos(t)ide analogs, therefore, the development of new anti-HBV drugs is greatly needed. Recently, sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP) was identified as an entry receptor for HBV. This finding enable to establish cell lines that reproduce HBV infection and thus are good tool for analyzing the HBV life cycle. In addition, NTCP potentially serves as a target for the development of anti-HBV agents. In this article, we summarize the recent findings on the role of NTCP in HBV infection.