title: Cell culture-derived HCV cannot infect synovial fibroblasts.
abstract: Worldwide 170 million individuals are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), up to 45 million of whom are affected by arthropathy. It is unclear whether this is due to viral infection of synovial cells or immune-mediated mechanisms. We tested the capacity of primary synovial fibroblasts to support HCV propagation. Out of the four critical HCV receptors, only CD81 was expressed to any significant extent in OASF and RASF. Consistent with this, pseudotyped HCV particles were unable to infect these cells. Permissiveness for HCV replication was investigated by transfecting cells with a subgenomic replicon of HCV encoding a luciferase reporter. OASF and RASF did not support replication of HCV, possibly due to low expression levels of miR-122. In conclusion, primary human synovial fibroblasts are unable to support propagation of HCV in vitro. HCV-related arthropathy is unlikely due to direct infection of these cells.
authors.affiliation: TWINCORE, Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Institute for Experimental Infection Research, Hannover, Germany.|Water Pollution Research Department, Environmental Sciences Research Division, National research center, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Abd-Elshafy D
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Nadeem
authors.affiliation: TWINCORE, Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Institute of Experimental Virology, Hannover, Germany.|German Centre for Infection Research, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Pietschmann
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Justus-Liebig University of Giessen, Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Kerckhoff Klinik, GmbH, Bad Nauheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Müller-Ladner
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ulf
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Justus-Liebig University of Giessen, Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Kerckhoff Klinik, GmbH, Bad Nauheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Neumann
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Elena
authors.affiliation: TWINCORE, Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Institute of Experimental Virology, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anggakusuma
authors.affiliation: TWINCORE, Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Institute for Experimental Infection Research, Hannover, Germany.|Therapeutic Chemistry Department, Pharmaceutical Industries Research Division, National research center, Cairo, Egypt.|Immunology and lnfectious Diseases Laboratory, Therapeutic Chemistry Department, the National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Bahgat M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.affiliation: TWINCORE, Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Institute for Experimental Infection Research, Hannover, Germany.|Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Pessler
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.affiliation: TWINCORE, Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Institute of Experimental Virology, Hannover, Germany.|German Centre for Infection Research, Hannover, Germany.|Department for Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Medical School Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Behrendt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Patrick
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D016679:Genome, Viral; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000166:cytology*; D056189:Viral Tropism; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: C531907:MIRN122 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011991:Receptors, Virus