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HCV and host lipids: an intimate connection

Esperance A K Schaefer1, Raymond T Chung

  • 1Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, GI Unit, Boston, Massachusetts.

Seminars in Liver Disease
|November 14, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) hijacks host lipid metabolism for its entire life cycle, from entry to replication and packaging. Targeting these host-pathogen interactions may reveal new therapeutic strategies for HCV infection.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Hepatology

Background:

  • Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a global health concern.
  • HCV pathogenesis is intricately linked to host lipid metabolism.
  • Clinical observations show altered cholesterol levels in HCV patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the multifaceted role of host lipid metabolism in the HCV life cycle.
  • To identify host factors and pathways exploited by HCV for replication and assembly.
  • To explore potential therapeutic targets within these host-viral interactions.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on HCV and host lipid metabolism.
  • Analysis of viral entry mechanisms involving host receptors.
  • Investigation of intracellular viral manipulation of host lipogenic pathways.

Main Results:

  • HCV utilizes host lipoprotein receptors (e.g., SRB1, LDL-R, NPC1L1) for hepatocyte entry.
  • HCV induces lipogenesis and sterol response element binding protein (SREBP) activity.
  • The virus is packaged into lipoviral particles resembling very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL).

Conclusions:

  • HCV extensively manipulates host lipid metabolism throughout its life cycle.
  • The interplay between HCV and host lipids offers novel drug targets for treatment.
  • Understanding these pathways can lead to improved therapeutic strategies for chronic hepatitis C.

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