Science

Common type of HCV successfully cultured in hepatoma cells

Last Updated: 2006-02-07 10:40:25 -0400 (Reuters Health)

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - 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.