Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects its target cells in the form of cell-free viruses and through cell-cell contact. Here we report that HCV is associated with exosomes. Using highly purified exosomes and transmission electron microscopic imaging, we demonstrated that HCV occurred in both exosome-free and exosome-associated forms. Exosome-associated HCV was infectious and resistant to neutralization by an anti-HCV neutralizing antibody. There were more exosome-associated HCV than exosome-free HCV detected in the plasma of HCV-infected patients. These results suggest exosome-associated HCV as an alternative form for HCV infection and transmission.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 218-222 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications |
Volume | 455 |
Issue number | 3-4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 12 Dec 2014 |
Keywords
- Exosome
- HCV
- Infection
- Neutralizing antibody
- Patient plasma
- TEM imaging