Virion-independent transfer of replication-competent hepatitis C virus RNA between permissive cells

Andrea Longatti; Bryan Boyd; Francis V Chisari

doi:10.1128/JVI.02721-14

Virion-independent transfer of replication-competent hepatitis C virus RNA between permissive cells

J Virol. 2015 Mar;89(5):2956-61. doi: 10.1128/JVI.02721-14. Epub 2014 Dec 10.

Authors

Andrea Longatti¹, Bryan Boyd², Francis V Chisari¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA [email protected] [email protected].
² Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA.

Abstract

In this study, we show that replication-competent subgenomic hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA can be transferred to permissive Huh7 cells, leading to the establishment of viral RNA replication. Further, we show that these events are mediated by exosomes rather than infectious virus particles. If similar events occur in vivo, this could represent a novel, albeit inefficient, mechanism of viral spread and immune escape.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biological Transport
Cell Line
Exosomes / metabolism*
Hepacivirus / genetics
Hepacivirus / physiology*
Hepatocytes / virology*
Humans
RNA, Viral / metabolism*
Virus Replication*

Substances

RNA, Viral

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding