Hepatology. 2017 Apr 13. doi: 10.1002/hep.29211. [Epub ahead of print]

Efficient replication of blood borne Hepatitis C Virus in human fetal liver stem cells.

Guo X¹, Wang S¹, Qiu ZG¹, Dou YL², Liu WL¹, Yang D¹, Shen ZQ¹, Chen ZL¹, Wang JF¹, Zhang B¹, Wang XW¹, Guo XF¹, Zhang XL¹, Jin M¹, Li JW¹.

Abstract

The development of pathogenic mechanisms, specific antiviral treatments and preventive vaccines for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been limited due to lack of cell culture model that could naturally imitate the entire HCV life cycle. Here, we established a HCV cell culture model based on human fetal liver stem cells (hFLSCs) that supports the entire blood-borne hepatitis C virus (bbHCV) life cycle. More than 90% of cells remained infected by various genotypes. bbHCV was efficiently propagated, and progeny virus were infectious to hFLSCs. The virus could be efficiently passed between cells. The viral infectivity was partially blocked by specific antibodies or siRNA against HCV entry factors, while HCV replication was inhibited by anti-viral drugs. More importantly, to the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report to observe viral particles of approximately 55 nm in diameter in both cell culture media and infected cells following by bbHCV infection.

CONCLUSION:

Our data showed that the entire bbHCV life cycle could be naturally imitated in hFLSCs. This model is expected to provide a powerful tool for exploring the process and the mechanism of bbHCV infection at the cellular level, and evaluating the treatment and preventive strategies of bbHCV infection. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.