title: Hepatitis B Virus-Infected HepG2hNTCP Cells Serve as a Novel Immunological Tool To Analyze the Antiviral Efficacy of CD8+ T Cells In Vitro.
abstract: CD8(+) T cells are the main effector lymphocytes in the control of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. However, limitations of model systems, such as low infection rates, restrict mechanistic studies of HBV-specific CD8(+) T cells. Here, we established a novel immunological cell culture model based on HBV-infected HepG2(hNTCP) cells that endogenously processed viral antigens and presented them to HBV-specific CD8(+) T cells. This induced cytolytic and noncytolytic CD8(+) T-cell effector functions and reduction of viral loads.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hoh
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Maximilian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heeg
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schuch
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Benedikt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Binder
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hennecke
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Hubert E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nassal
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, Technische Universitaet Muenchen/Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen, Munich, Germany German Center for Infection Research, Munich Partner Site, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Protzer
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Maike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany German Center for Infection Research, Heidelberg Partner Site, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Urban
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany robert.thimme@uniklinik-freiburg.de.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thimme
mesh_terms: D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D003584:Cytological Techniques; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*