Figure 2: Lymphotropic pseudoparticles (HCVpp) can infect B lymphocytes more efficiently than hepatic cells.
From: Hepatitis C virus has a genetically determined lymphotropism through co-receptor B7.2
(a) HIV-luc vector was pseudotyped with envelope proteins of HCV SB strain. Pseudoparticles (HCVpp) efficiently infected B lymphocytes, but not hepatic cells. Infectivity of HCV pseudo-particles was measured by luciferase assay. HIV vector containing a luciferase reporter pseudotyped with E1 and/or E2 of SB strain, Con1, or HCV-N strain and MLV glycoprotein (MLV gp), or no envelope (no env) was used to infect Raji (black bars) or Huh7.5.1 (grey bars). Luciferase activity was assayed at 4 days after infection. Addition of neutralizing anti-E2 antibody blocked HCVpp entry (a, right). Experiments were repeated at least three times (*P<0.05, T-test, n=3). Error bars represent s.d. (b) Hypothetical model of E2 sequence mutations on HCV B cell tropism. (c) The HCV E2 amino acids sequences are variable. Red arrows indicate the different amino acid positions between SB and other HCV strains. 1b strain is from sequence accession number P29846.3. (d) Variations of E2 sequences change HCV tropism (*P<0.05; **P<0.01; ***P<0.001, ANOVA, n=3). Error bars represent s.d.
