[Compartmental distribution of hepatitis C virus quasispecies in mononuclear cells and liver].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the role of the infection of monouclear cells by hepatitis C virus(HCV) in the chronicity of HCV infection.


METHODS
Direct sequencing of the amplified hypervariable region (HVR) gene of HCV was used to distinguish main HCV quasispecies infecting non-hepatocytes from those infecting hepatocytes and circulating virions. The main HCV quasispecies in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC), liver-associated mononuclear cells (LAMC), serum and liver samples from 6 patients with chronic hepatitis C and from 6 patients with HCV-related cirrhosis were analysed and compared.


RESULTS
The main HCV qusispecies in the livers were different from those in PBMC in 3 transplanted cirrhotic patients and 5 patients with chronic hepatitis C. Different substitutions existed between PBMC and LAMC in 3 of 6 patients analysed. Mutations were observed within the first 50 amino acids of E2 gene, which induced amino acid change in 6 of 9 patients analysed.


CONCLUSIONS
In chronically infected patients, the detection of HCV RNA in mononuclear cells is not due to the adsorption of circulating virions but a significant infection. The compartmental distribution of HCV quasispecies in hepatocytes and mononuclear cells could be involved in the chronicity of HCV infection.
Jiang
J
J
Fuzhou Hospital for Infectious Diseases.
Zhang
L
L
Gigou
M
M
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology*; D008099:Liver / Q000821:virology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation