Hepatitis C virus infection induces autocrine interferon signaling by human liver endothelial cells and release of exosomes, which inhibits viral replication.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) make up a large proportion of the nonparenchymal cells in the liver. LSECs are involved in induction of immune tolerance, but little is known about their functions during hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

Methods

Primary human LSECs (HLSECs) and immortalized liver endothelial cells (TMNK-1) were exposed to various forms of HCV, including full-length transmitted/founder virus, sucrose-purified Japanese fulminant hepatitis-1 (JFH-1), a virus encoding a luciferase reporter, and the HCV-specific pathogen-associated molecular pattern molecules. Cells were analyzed by confocal immunofluorescence, immunohistochemical, and polymerase chain reaction assays.

Results

HLSECs internalized HCV, independent of cell-cell c

SUBMITTER: Giugliano S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4765499 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature