当期论文

HBx/NF-κB pathway plays an important role in HBV replication. However, whether NF-κB-interacting long noncoding RNA (NKILA), a suppressor of NF-κB activation, regulates HBV replication remains largely unknown. In this issue, Zhang et al. observed a negative correlation between NKILA expression level and HBV viral loads in HBV-positive patients, discovered that NKILA inhibits p65 translocation into the nucleus and reduces IκBα phosphorylation levels, and further showed NKILA could interrupt the interaction between HBx and p65, thereby suppressing HBV replication and HBx-induced NF-κB activation. The cover image illustrates the role of lncRNA NKILA in inhibiting HBV replication, incorporating elements from the legend of Chinese New Year. The prodigious man (human defense system) tied the head (HBx) of the beast (HBV) with a magic red silk strip (lncRNA NKILA) to protect people away from the attack. (Kindly provided by Prof. Hong Wang and Prof. Wenyan Zhang).