The role of stromal cells in Hepatitis C virus infection

摘要: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of global morbidity, causing long-term pathologies, including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. While hepatocytes are the site viral replication, liver contains multiple non-parenchymal cells that regulate hepatic microenvironment may affect HCV infection \(in\) \(vivo\). Current understanding role in limited. Therefore, this project aimed to establish co-culture systems allowed investigations into interactions between cells, how these affected infection. The results showed co-culture, activated myofibroblasts (aLMFs) negatively entry, replication spread cell contact dependent manner. Soluble factors, extracellular matrix proteins, common antiviral pathways did not induce effect. Instead, we found aLMFmodulated cell-contact hepatocyte membrane receptor dynamics, reducing mobility receptor, CD81, impairing entry replication. In addition, aLMF surface expressed VAP-1 also significantly reduced independently modulation. These findings greatly improved our HCV, highlighting importance mediating microenvironment.