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Updated: May 5, 2026

A Competent Hepatocyte Model Examining Hepatitis B Virus Entry through Sodium Taurocholate Cotransporting Polypeptide as a Therapeutic Target
Published on: May 10, 2022
Peek-a-boo: membrane hijacking and the pathogenesis of viral hepatitis
Zongdi Feng1, Stanley M Lemon2
1Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7292, USA.
Abstract:
Historically, animal viruses have been classified on the basis of the presence or absence of an envelope - an external lipid bilayer membrane typically carrying one or more viral glycoproteins. However, growing evidence indicates that some 'non-enveloped' viruses circulate in the blood of infected individuals enveloped in host-derived membranes that provide protection from neutralizing antibodies. In this opinion article, we discuss this novel strategy for virus survival and consider how it contributes to the pathogenesis of acute viral hepatitis. The acquisition of an envelope by non-enveloped viruses profoundly influences their interaction with the host at both the cellular and system level and challenges how we think about vaccine protection against these infections.
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