Modeling Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Non-Hepatic 293T-NE-3NRs Cells

J Vis Exp. 2020 Jun 5:(160). doi: 10.3791/61414.

Abstract

HBV mainly infects human hepatocytes, but it has also been found to infect extrahepatic tissues such as kidney and testis. Nonetheless, cell-based HBV models are limited to hepatoma cell lines (such as HepG2 and Huh7) overexpressing a functional HBV receptor, sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide (NTCP). Here, we used 293T-NE-3NRs (293T overexpressing human NTCP, HNF4α, RXRα and PPARα) and HepG2-NE (HepG2 overexpressing NTCP) as model cell lines. HBV infection in these cell lines was performed either by using concentrated HBV virus particles from HepG2.2.15 or co-culturing HepG2.2.15 with the target cell lines. HBcAg immunofluorescence for HBcAg was performed to confirm HBV infection. The two methods presented here will help us study HBV infection in non-hepatic cell lines.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Video-Audio Media

MeSH terms

  • HEK293 Cells / metabolism*
  • Hep G2 Cells / metabolism*
  • Hepatitis B / virology*
  • Hepatitis B virus / pathogenicity*
  • Hepatocytes / metabolism
  • Humans