Restoring dysfunctional natural killer cells - A potential curative immunotherapeutic strategy against hepatitis B virus infection?

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) impacts around 254 million people worldwide, leading to over a million deaths each year, largely from liver cancer. Despite available vaccines and antiviral treatments, there is still no definitive cure for HBV. The complexity of HBV's life cycle presents challenges to finding a cure, underscoring the need for effective and well-tolerated treatments for chronic HBV. Current antiviral therapies can control viral replication but require lifelong use due to the risk of viral resurgence if treatment is stopped. Interferon therapy helps only a limited number of patients, pointing to the need for better treatments. Immunotherapies, particularly those targeting natural killer (NK) cells, are promising alternative therapeutic strategies. NK cells, which make up about 50% of liver lymphocytes in chronic HBV patients, play a crucial role in fighting viruses and coordinating immune responses. Recent research has highlighted NK cell-based therapies, including NK cell therapy and checkpoint inhibition, which have been effective and safe in cancer treatment. Future studies should focus on developing precise, long-lasting NK cell treatments and exploring the interactions between HBV and NK cells in the liver. Such advancements could lead to powerful immunotherapies, meeting the urgent need for an HBV cure by 2030.