Real-time imaging of hepatitis C virus infection using a fluorescent cell-based reporter system
Nature biotechnology, 2010•nature.com
Hepatitis C virus (HCV), which infects 2–3% of the world population, is a causative agent of
chronic hepatitis and the leading indication for liver transplantation. The ability to propagate
HCV in cell culture (HCVcc) is a relatively recent breakthrough and a key tool in the quest for
specific antiviral therapeutics. Monitoring HCV infection in culture generally involves bulk
population assays, use of genetically modified viruses and/or terminal processing of
potentially precious samples. Here we develop a cell-based fluorescent reporter system that …
chronic hepatitis and the leading indication for liver transplantation. The ability to propagate
HCV in cell culture (HCVcc) is a relatively recent breakthrough and a key tool in the quest for
specific antiviral therapeutics. Monitoring HCV infection in culture generally involves bulk
population assays, use of genetically modified viruses and/or terminal processing of
potentially precious samples. Here we develop a cell-based fluorescent reporter system that …
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV), which infects 2–3% of the world population, is a causative agent of chronic hepatitis and the leading indication for liver transplantation. The ability to propagate HCV in cell culture (HCVcc) is a relatively recent breakthrough and a key tool in the quest for specific antiviral therapeutics. Monitoring HCV infection in culture generally involves bulk population assays, use of genetically modified viruses and/or terminal processing of potentially precious samples. Here we develop a cell-based fluorescent reporter system that allows sensitive distinction of individual HCV-infected cells in live or fixed samples. We demonstrate use of this technology for several previously intractable applications, including live-cell imaging of viral propagation and host response, as well as visualizing infection of primary hepatocyte cultures. Integration of this reporter with modern image-based analysis methods could open new doors for HCV research.
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