title: An in situ hybridization, molecular biological and immunohistochemical study of hepatitis delta virus in woodchucks.
abstract: The presence of hepatitis delta virus genomic RNA and hepatitis delta antigen was investigated in woodchuck liver and extrahepatic tissues by in situ hybridization using synthetic radiolabeled probes, Northern-blot analysis and immunohistochemical staining for hepatitis delta antigen. Hepatitis D virus RNA and hepatitis delta antigen were detected in the nuclei of infected hepatocytes but in none of the other tissues examined. Northern-blot analysis of total cell RNA confirmed these findings and revealed a series of hepatitis D virus transcripts, including full-length genomic RNA and dimers and trimers of hepatitis D virus RNA that may represent replicative intermediates. Use of single-stranded probes showed genome-size monomers and dimers to be both of genomic and antigenomic polarity, although dimers were found to be predominantly antigenomic. These findings document the strict hepatotropism of hepatitis D virus and support the rolling-circle model of genome replication for this unique, defective RNA virus.
authors.affiliation: Academic Department of Medicine, St. Mary's Hospital Medical School, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dourakis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Karayiannis
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goldin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Monjardino
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003698:Hepatitis Delta Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D035923:Hepatitis delta Antigens; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology; D008392:Marmota / Q000382:microbiology*; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000379:methods; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D035923:Hepatitis delta Antigens; D012367:RNA, Viral; C442244:hepatitis delta virus large antigen