Human stem cell-derived hepatocytes as a model for hepatitis B virus infection, spreading and virus-host interactions.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

One major obstacle of hepatitis B virus (HBV) research is the lack of efficient cell culture system permissive for viral infection and replication. The aim of our study was to establish a robust HBV infection model by using hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) derived from human pluripotent stem cells.

Methods

HLCs were differentiated from human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. Maturation of hepatocyte functions was determined. After HBV infection, total viral DNA, cccDNA, total viral RNA, pgRNA, HBeAg and HBsAg were measured.

Results

More than 90% of the HLCs expressed strong signals of human hepatocyte markers, like albumin, as well as known host factors required for HBV infection, suggesting that these cells possessed key features

SUBMITTER: Xia Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5316493 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature