Infection of peripheral mononuclear blood cells by hepatitis C virus.
We investigated the infection of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) by hepatitis C virus (HCV) in 5 patients with HCV-related chronic hepatitis. The presence of HCV-RNA-positive and -negative strands was tested with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. In all subjects, HCV-RNA was shown in PBMNC. In 3 cases, HCV-RNA was shown in the T- and B-cell populations, with viral RNA also present in the monocyte-macrophage fraction of two of these. HCV-RNA-negative stranded molecules, indicative of the viral multiplication, were significantly increased in cells maintained in cultures with PHA/PMA stimulation. The results indicate that HCV infect blood mononuclear cells, thus suggesting that this cellular tropism may play a role in HCV infection.
Zignego
A L
AL
Hybridotest, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
Macchia
D
D
Monti
M
M
Thiers
V
V
Mazzetti
M
M
Foschi
M
M
Maggi
E
E
Romagnani
S
S
Gentilini
P
P
Bréchot
C
C
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics
D012367:RNA, Viral