title: Cellular lipid droplets and hepatitis C virus life cycle.
abstract: Lipid droplets (LDs) are cellular lipid storage organelles involved not only in lipid homeostasis but also in a variety of diseases. Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects host lipid metabolism, and thus induces LD accumulation in the liver. Recent studies have suggested that cellular LDs also play a crucial role in the HCV life cycle. Interactions between HCV proteins, especially the core protein, and LDs are required for the morphogenesis of infectious HCV. The present minireview will summarize the recent research progress about this unique relationship between LDs and the HCV life cycle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan. fuka@nih.go.jp
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukasawa
mesh_terms: D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000502:physiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008055:Lipids; D015388:Organelles / Q000378:metabolism*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D014764:Viral Proteins