Evidence that the second human pegivirus (HPgV-2) is primarily a lymphotropic virus and can replicate independent of HCV replication
| Title: | Evidence that the second human pegivirus (HPgV-2) is primarily a lymphotropic virus and can replicate independent of HCV replication |
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| Authors: | Zhengwei Wan, Junwei Liu, Fengyu Hu, Jingwei Shui, Linghua Li, Haiying Wang, Xiaoping Tang, Chengguang Hu, Yuanhao Liang, Yuanping Zhou, Weiping Cai, Shixing Tang |
| Source: | Emerging Microbes and Infections, Vol 9, Iss 1, Pp 485-495 (2020) |
| Publisher Information: | Taylor & Francis Group, 2020. |
| Publication Year: | 2020 |
| Collection: | LCC:Infectious and parasitic diseases LCC:Microbiology |
| Subject Terms: | HPgV-2, persistent infection, resolved infection, lymphotropic, HCV, Infectious and parasitic diseases, RC109-216, Microbiology, QR1-502 |
| More Details: | ABSTRACTThe second human pegivirus HPgV-2 is a novel blood-borne virus that is strongly associated with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, the molecular evidence for their association as well as the natural history and tissue tropism of HPgV-2 remain to be elucidated. In this longitudinal study, a total of 753 patients including 512 HIV-1 and HCV co-infected patients were enrolled to characterize the natural history of HPgV-2 infection. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and liver biopsies were collected to determine the tissue tropism of HPgV-2 using immunohistochemical staining of the HPgV-2 antigen and in situ hybridization of HPgV-2 RNA. We documented both persistent HPgV-2 infection with the presence of HPgV-2 viral RNA and antibodies up to 4.6 years and resolved HPgV-2 infection, accompanied by a simultaneous decline of anti-HPgV-2 antibodies and clearance of HPgV-2 viremia. Furthermore, we observed the clearance of HCV, but not HPgV-2, by treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). Biochemical tests and pathological analyses did not reveal any indication of hepatic impairment caused by HPgV-2. HPgV-2 RNA and nonstructural antigen were detected in the lymphocytes, but not in the hepatocytes present in the liver biopsy samples. In addition, both positive- and negative-strand HPgV-2 RNAs were detected in PBMCs, especially in B cells. The present study is the first to provide evidence that HPgV-2 is a lymphotropic, but not a hepatotropic virus and that HPgV-2 replication is independent of HCV viremia. These new findings let us gain insights into the evolution and persistent infection of RNA viruses in humans. |
| Document Type: | article |
| File Description: | electronic resource |
| Language: | English |
| ISSN: | 22221751 2222-1751 |
| Relation: | https://doaj.org/toc/2222-1751 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/22221751.2020.1730247 |
| Access URL: | https://doaj.org/article/ac8a13771648486baab3b4596cb35260 |
| Accession Number: | edsdoj.8a13771648486baab3b4596cb35260 |
| Database: | Directory of Open Access Journals |
| ISSN: | 22221751 |
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| DOI: | 10.1080/22221751.2020.1730247 |
| Published in: | Emerging Microbes and Infections |
| Language: | English |