title: Hepatitis G virus genomic RNA is pathogenic to Macaca mulatta.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the pathogenicity and infectivity of hepatitis G virus (HGV) by observing replication and expression of the virus, as well as the serological and histological changes of Macaca mulatta infected with HGV genomic RNA or HGV RNA-positive serum.
  
  
  METHODS
  Full-length HGV cDNA clone (HGVqz) was constructed and proved to be infectious, from which HGV genomic RNA was transcribed in vitro. Macaca mulatta BY1 was intra-hepatically inoculated with HGV genomic RNA, HGV RNA-positive serum from BY1 was intravenously inoculated into Macaca mulatta BM1, and then BB1 was infected with serum from BM1. Serum and liver tissue were taken regularly, and checked with RT-PCR, in situ hybridization and other immunological, serological, histological assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum HGV RNA was detectable in all the 3 Macaca mulattas, serological and histological examinations showed the experimental animals had slightly elevated alanine transaminase (ALT) and developed HGV viremia during the infectious period. The histology, immunohis-tochemistry, and in situ hybridization in liver tissues of the inoculated animals demonstrated a very mild hepatitis with HGV antigen expression in cytoplasm of hepatocytes. RT-PCR and quantitative PCR results showed that HGV could replicate in liver.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The genomic RNA from full-length HGV cDNA is infectious to the Macaca mulatta and can cause mild hepatitis. HGV RNA-positive serum, from HGV RNA inoculated Macaca mulatta, is infectious to other Macaca mulattas. Macaca mulatta is susceptible to the inoculated HGV, and therefore can be used as an experimental animal model for the studies of HGV infection and pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Fen-Lu
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Ming-Mei
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Xin-Yu
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zhong-Tian
authors.initials: ZT
authors.lastname: Qi
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D018178:Flaviviridae Infections / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D029407:GB virus C / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006524:Hepatitis, Viral, Animal / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D014774:Virulence; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase
references.citation: Transfusion. 2004 Feb;44(2):268-74
references.pmid: 14962319
references.citation: Microbiol Immunol. 2003;47(10):759-63
references.pmid: 14605442
references.citation: Ross Gastroenterol Zh. 2001;(2):46-56
references.pmid: 11686192
references.citation: Nat Med. 1995 Jun;1(6):564-9
references.pmid: 7585124
references.citation: Intervirology. 2000;43(3):139-45
references.pmid: 11044807
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 1997 Mar 13;336(11):741-6
references.pmid: 9052651
references.citation: Ital J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 1998 Oct;30(5):529-33
references.pmid: 9836112
references.citation: Clin Lab. 2000;46(5-6):247-50
references.pmid: 10853231
references.citation: Science. 1997 Jul 25;277(5325):570-4
references.pmid: 9228008
references.citation: Zhonghua Shi Yan He Lin Chuang Bing Du Xue Za Zhi. 1998 Sep;12(3):258-60
references.pmid: 12526330
references.citation: Am J Pathol. 1997 Aug;151(2):363-73
references.pmid: 9250150
references.citation: J Hepatol. 1999 Mar;30(3):383-8
references.pmid: 10190718
references.citation: J Med Virol. 2000 May;61(1):52-8
references.pmid: 10745232
references.citation: J Virol. 2000 Sep;74(17):7936-42
references.pmid: 10933701
references.citation: J Virol. 1987 Oct;61(10):3035-9
references.pmid: 3041024
references.citation: J Med Virol. 1999 Jun;58(2):160-4
references.pmid: 10335864
references.citation: Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1996 Nov 21;228(3):785-91
references.pmid: 8941354
references.citation: Int J Infect Dis. 2002 Sep;6(3):223-7
references.pmid: 12718839
references.citation: J Med Virol. 1996 Jan;48(1):60-7
references.pmid: 8825712
references.citation: J Clin Microbiol. 2003 Nov;41(11):5273-6
references.pmid: 14605182
references.citation: J Clin Virol. 2003 Sep;28(1):59-69
references.pmid: 12927752
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 1997 Mar 13;336(11):747-54
references.pmid: 9052652
references.citation: Science. 1996 Jan 26;271(5248):505-8
references.pmid: 8560265
references.citation: J Infect Dis. 1998 Apr;177(4):855-62
references.pmid: 9534956
references.citation: Transfusion. 2003 Nov;43(11):1558-62
references.pmid: 14617315
references.citation: J Med Virol. 2000 Jan;60(1):28-33
references.pmid: 10568759