title: HBV Slow Maturation Process Leads to Infection.
abstract: Initial hepatitis B virus (HBV) attachment occurs via heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs), which then trigger receptor-mediated internalization. Although HSPGs express in many tissues, HBV is destined for hepatotropic infection. A recent paper by Seitz et al. proposed that the slow viral maturation process plays a critical role in liver-specific distribution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Applied Biological Science, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Japan; CREST, JST, Saitama, Japan. Electronic address: kwatashi@nih.go.jp.
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watashi
mesh_terms: D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000502:physiology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000502:physiology; D053585:Virus Attachment; D053586:Virus Internalization
chemical_list: D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D011498:Protein Precursors; C050806:presurface protein 1, hepatitis B surface antigen
keywords: HBV; HSPG; NTCP; entry; envelope; preS1