Common Type of HCV Successfully Cultured in Hepatoma Cells

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Common Type of HCV Successfully Cultured in Hepatoma Cells

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Feb 07 - Using human hepatoma cells

transfected with RNA from a prototype virus, researchers from the US

and Japan have succeeded in culturing infectious genotype 1a

hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Recently, a similar feat was accomplished for genotype 2a HCV, but

that strain is less prevalent than the genotype 1a or " Hutchinson "

strain and is not as closely linked to cirrhosis and liver cancer. In

addition, the latter type is more likely to display interferon

resistance.

Being able to grow infectious genotype 1a HCV in cell culture " will

substantially benefit antiviral and vaccine discovery programs, "

senior author Dr. Stanley M. Lemon, from the University of Texas at

Galveston, and colleagues note in the Proceedings of the National

Academy of Sciences for February 14.

Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2006;103:2310-2315.