Neutralization and receptor use of infectious culture-derived rat hepacivirus as a model for HCV.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Lack of tractable immunocompetent animal models amenable to robust experimental challenge impedes vaccine efforts for HCV. Infection with rodent hepacivirus from Rattus norvegicus (RHV-rn1) in rats shares HCV-defining characteristics, including liver tropism, chronicity, and pathology. RHV in vitro cultivation would facilitate genetic studies on particle production, host factor interactions, and evaluation of antibody neutralization guiding HCV vaccine approaches.

Approach and results

We report an infectious reverse genetic cell culture system for RHV-rn1 using highly permissive rat hepatoma cells and adaptive mutations in the E2, NS4B, and NS5A viral proteins. Cell culture-derived RHV-rn1 particles (RHVcc) share hallmark biophysical characteristics of HC

SUBMITTER: Wolfisberg R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9585093 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature