Abstract: AIM: To explore the effects of ethanol on replication and expression of HBV, so as to effectively guide the anti-HBV treatment in clinic.METHODS: 2. 2.15 cells were cultured in vitro.Ethanol of different concentrations was added into the supernatant and 3TC was used as the positive control.And there was no drug added in the negative control group.Effect of ethanol on HBV expression and replication was examined and the expression of antiviral gene MxA was also tested.RESULTS: Ethanol promoted the expression of intracellular HBsAg, HBeAg and intracellular HBcAg.But 3TC revealed no significant effect on all of them.Southern blotting showed that ethanol at 200 mmol°L^-1 enhance the replication of HBV DNA, but 3TC inhibited the replication of HBV DNA at 2 μmol°L^-1.Ethanol at 40 mmol°L^-1 promoted the expression of MxA, while 3TC at 2 μmol°L^-1 also stimulated the expression of MxA. CONCLUSION: Ethanol can induce the overexpression of HBsAg, HBeAg and HBcAg, and enhance the expression of antiviral gene MxA which may increase the activity of enzymes of synthetic metabolism.Ethanol can promote replication of HBV DNA, but the mechanism is unclear and need to be studied.

Key words: Hepatitis B virus, ethanol, replication, expression