Hepatoma Cell Line That Can Be Infected with Both Hepatitis C and Human Immunodeficiency (HIV-1) Viruses

Posted by Ross Jackson on Sunday, June 27, 2010, 9:56

It is estimated that 250,000 HIV patients in the U.S. are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Co-infection of HCV and HIV is associated with increased morbidity and mortality relative to mono-infection with either virus. Compared to HCV mono-infected individuals, HCV/HIV co-infected individuals experience rapid progression of liver disease, have higher HCV RNA viral levels, decreased cure rates, and increased toxic reactions to anti-HCV therapy. Understanding how these two viruses interact has been difficult because a cell culture system that supports HCV growth in the laboratory was not available. Recently, a continuous culture system to propagate HCV was discovered, however these cells do not express receptors that allow for infection by HIV. The inventors were able to genetically transform these cells (liver cancer) to express HIV receptors and successfully infect them with both viruses. This modified cell culture system will be useful for studying the interactions between HCV and HIV within the same cell and will serve as a model to understand the pathogenesis of HCV/HIV co-infection.

http://techcombo.com/2010/06/27/hepatoma-cell-line-that-can-be-infected-with-both-hepatitis-c-and-human-immunodeficiency-hiv-1-viruses-123/