Shenghao Li,1,2,* Liyuan Hao,1,2,* Jiali Deng,1,2 Junli Zhang,3 Fei Yu,1,2 Fanghang Ye,1,2 Na Li,1,2 Xiaoyu Hu2 

1School of Clinical Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Infectious Diseases, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence: Xiaoyu Hu, Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 39 Shi-er-qiao Road, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China, Email xiaoyuhu202206@163.com

Abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a globally prevalent human DNA virus responsible for over 250 million cases of chronic liver infections, leading to conditions such as liver inflammation, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide (NTCP) is a transmembrane protein highly expressed in human hepatocytes and functions as a bile acid (BA) transporter. NTCP has been identified as the receptor that HBV and its satellite virus, hepatitis delta virus (HDV), use to enter hepatocytes. HBV entry into hepatocytes is tightly regulated by various signaling pathways, and NTCP plays an important role as the initial stage of HBV infection. NTCP acts as an initiation signal, causing metabolic changes in hepatocytes and facilitating the entry of HBV into hepatocytes. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of NTCP’s role is crucial. In this review, we will examine the regulatory mechanisms governing HBV pre-S1 binding to liver membrane NTCP, the role of NTCP in HBV internalization, and the transcriptional and translational regulation of NTCP expression. Additionally, we will discuss clinical drugs targeting NTCP, including combination therapies involving NTCP inhibitors, and consider the safety of NTCP as a therapeutic target.

Keywords: NTCP, HBV, HBV entry, Bulevirtide