title: Exosome-associated hepatitis C virus in cell cultures and patient plasma.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects its target cells in the form of cell-free viruses and through cell-cell contact. Here we report that HCV is associated with exosomes. Using highly purified exosomes and transmission electron microscopic imaging, we demonstrated that HCV occurred in both exosome-free and exosome-associated forms. Exosome-associated HCV was infectious and resistant to neutralization by an anti-HCV neutralizing antibody. There were more exosome-associated HCV than exosome-free HCV detected in the plasma of HCV-infected patients. These results suggest exosome-associated HCV as an alternative form for HCV infection and transmission.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States.
authors.forename: Ziqing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States.
authors.forename: Xiugen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States.
authors.forename: Qigui
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States; Department of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States. Electronic address: johnny.he@unthsc.edu.
authors.forename: Johnny J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002417:Cattle; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D055354:Exosomes / Q000821:virology*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D014461:Ultracentrifugation
chemical_list: D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase
keywords: Exosome; HCV; Infection; Neutralizing antibody; Patient plasma; TEM imaging