Role of innate immunity and the replication of hepatitis C virus (HCV).
Published: 2006
Language: eng
Number of pages: 117
ISBN-13: 9780494212677
Description: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) can infect lymphocytes and hepatocytes and establish persistent viral infections causing chronic liver diseases that can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Difficulties in growing the virus in human and non-primate cell lines have been attributed to host cell factors and the innate immune system, the latter which the virus evades effectively to establish persistent infection. In this study, an attempt was made to establish subgenomic HCV replicons in mouse embryonic fibroblasts defective in components of the innate immune system, IRF-3 and IRF-9. Established clones were characterized for HCV replication and analyzed to further dissect the virus-host interaction. These studies will lead to cell and mouse models that support virus particle formation and replication. Such tools would be invaluable for the development of antivirals and vaccines. They may also allow us to manipulate the innate immune system in order to reduce viral loads in infected individuals.
Notes: Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-03, page: 1414.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Toronto, 2006.

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