Advances in experimental systems to study hepatitis C virus in vitro and in vivo
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Catanese, Maria Teresa
Dorner, Marcus
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) represents a global health concern affecting over 185 million people worldwide. Chronic HCV infection causes liver fibrosis and cirrhosis and is the leading indication for liver transplantation. Recent advances in the field of direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs) promise a cure for HCV in over 90% of cases that will get access to these expensive treatments. Nevertheless, the lack of a protective vaccine and likely emergence of drug-resistant viral variants call for further studies of HCV biology. With chimpanzees being for a long time the only non-human in vivo model of HCV infection, strong efforts were put into establishing in vitro experimental systems. The initial models only enabled to study specific aspects of the HCV life cycle, such as viral replication with the subgenomic replicon and entry using HCV pseudotyped particles (HCVpp). Subsequent development of protocols to grow infectious HCV particles in cell-culture (HCVcc) ignited investigations on the full cycle of HCV infection and the virus–host interactions required for virus propagation.
More recently, small animal models permissive to HCV were generated that allowed in vivo testing of novel antiviral therapies as well as vaccine candidates. This review provides an overview of the currently available in vitro and in vivo experimental systems to study HCV biology. Particular emphasis is given to how these model systems furthered our understanding of virus–host interactions, viral pathogenesis and immunological responses to HCV infection, as well as drug and vaccine development.
More recently, small animal models permissive to HCV were generated that allowed in vivo testing of novel antiviral therapies as well as vaccine candidates. This review provides an overview of the currently available in vitro and in vivo experimental systems to study HCV biology. Particular emphasis is given to how these model systems furthered our understanding of virus–host interactions, viral pathogenesis and immunological responses to HCV infection, as well as drug and vaccine development.
Date Issued
2015-05-01
Date Acceptance
2015-03-03
Citation
Virology, 2015, 479-480, pp.221-233
ISSN
0042-6822
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
221
End Page
233
Journal / Book Title
Virology
Volume
479-480
Sponsor
Wellcome Trust
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000354909500021&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
104771/Z/14/Z
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Virology
Hepatitis C virus
Model systems
Replicon
Pseudoparticles
Soluble E2
Cell culture-derived HCV
Hepatocye-based models
Animal models
B TYPE-I
CELL-CULTURE SYSTEMS
BROADLY NEUTRALIZING ANTIBODIES
HUMAN FETAL HEPATOCYTES
HUMANIZED MOUSE MODEL
HCV RNA REPLICATION
EFFICIENT REPLICATION
HUH-7 CELLS
LOW-DENSITY
LIFE-CYCLE
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2015-04-04