In a 2007 publication, authors Hua Huang et al describe isolating the membrane vesicles in which HCV replicates from human hepatoma cells.
The publication is entitled 'Hepatitis C Virus Production by Human Hepatocytes Dependent on Assembly and Secretion of Very Low-density Lipoproteins'.
The vesicles, which contain the HCV replication complex, are highly enriched in proteins required for VLDL assembly, including Apolipoprotein B (ApoB), ApoE and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein.
In hepatoma cells that constitutively produce infectious HCV, HCV production is reduced by two agents that block VLDL assembly: an inhibitor of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein and SiRNA directed against ApoB.
These results provide a possible explanation for the restriction of HCV production to the liver and suggest new cellular targets for treatment of HCV infection.
In this publication, which is freely available on line, proteomic analysis of the purified vesicles included use of Meridian Life Science catalogue K90086C, sheep anti-Apolipoprotein B, and catalogue K90034C, sheep anti-Alpha-1 Antitrypsin in immunoblot protocols.
