Abstract
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection occurs in about 3 percent of the world's population and is a major cause of liver disease. HCV infection is also associated with cryoglobulinemia, a B lymphocyte proliferative disorder. Virus tropism is controversial, and the mechanisms of cell entry remain unknown. The HCV envelope protein E2 binds human CD81, a tetraspanin expressed on various cell types including hepatocytes and B lymphocytes. Binding of E2 was mapped to the major extracellular loop of CD81. Recombinant molecules containing this loop bound HCV and antibodies that neutralize HCV infection in vivo inhibited virus binding to CD81 in vitro.
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Antibodies / immunology
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Antibodies, Viral / immunology
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Antigens, CD / chemistry
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Antigens, CD / genetics
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Antigens, CD / immunology
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Antigens, CD / metabolism*
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Cell Line
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DNA, Complementary
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Gene Library
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Hepacivirus / immunology
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Hepacivirus / metabolism*
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Hepatitis C / immunology
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Humans
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Liver / cytology
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Liver / immunology
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Liver / virology
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Lymphocytes / immunology
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Lymphocytes / virology
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Membrane Proteins / chemistry
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Membrane Proteins / genetics
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Membrane Proteins / immunology
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Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
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Mice
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Pan troglodytes
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
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Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
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Recombinant Proteins / pharmacology
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Sequence Alignment
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Tetraspanin 28
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Tumor Cells, Cultured
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Viral Envelope Proteins / genetics
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Viral Envelope Proteins / immunology
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Viral Envelope Proteins / metabolism*
Substances
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Antibodies
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Antibodies, Viral
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Antigens, CD
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CD81 protein, human
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Cd81 protein, mouse
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DNA, Complementary
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Membrane Proteins
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins
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Recombinant Proteins
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Tetraspanin 28
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Viral Envelope Proteins
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glycoprotein E2, Hepatitis C virus