MAGT1-mediated disturbance of Mg 2+ homeostasis lead to exhausted of HBV-infected NK and CD8 + T cells.

The magnesium transporter 1 (MAGT1) is a critical regulator of basal intracellular free magnesium ([Mg2+ ]i) levels. It has been shown that MAGT1 was involved in the disorder in Mg2+ homeostasis after Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. Here, we identified the effects of MAGT1-mediated disturbance of Mg2+ homeostasis on chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected natural killer (NK) and CD8+ T cells. The expression of MAGT1 was gradually decreased with the increase of infected time in CD8+ T cells, but not with that in NK cells, of the patients. Decreased level of intracellular free Mg2+ ([Mg2+ ]i) leads to defective expression of programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and the NK activating receptor (NKG2D) in NK and CD8+ T cells. Our data illustrate that [Mg2+ ]i plays a key role in control of HBV infection.