title: Infection of human primary hepatocytes with dengue virus serotype 2.
abstract: While the impact of the dengue viruses on liver function is prominent as shown by hepatomegaly, liver enzyme abnormality, occasional fulminant hepatic failure and histological changes including hepatocellular necrosis, significant debate exists as to the possible involvement of the predominant cell type in the liver, hepatocytes, in the disease process. To address this issue purified human primary hepatocytes were exposed to dengue virus serotype 2 and the production of de novo viral progeny was established by standard plaque assay, RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry. To investigate the response of the primary hepatocytes to infection, the expression of a panel of 9 cytokine genes (IFN-beta, TRAIL, MCP-1, IL-6, IL-1beta, IL-8, MIP-1alpha, MIP-1beta, and RANTES) was semi-quantitatively investigated by RT-PCR and up-regulation of TRAIL, MIP-1alpha, IFN-beta, MIP-1beta, IL-8, and RANTES was observed in response to infection. The induction of IL-8 in response to infection was accompanied by the secretion of IL-8 as verified by ELISA assay. The ability of hepatocytes to be infected with dengue virus serotype 2 in vitro support evidence implicating human hepatocytes as a target cell in cases of dengue virus infection, and provide the first experimental evidence to support the large number of clinical studies that implicate the liver as a critical target organ in severe cases of dengue infection.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Mahidol University, Thailand.
authors.forename: Lukkana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Suksanpaisan
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cabrera-Hernandez
authors.forename: Duncan R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D003716:Dengue Virus / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D010948:Viral Plaque Assay; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins