Published online Apr 7, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i13.3457
Revised: December 15, 2013
Accepted: January 3, 2014
Published online: April 7, 2014
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a global health problem, with an estimated 170 million people being chronically infected. HCV cell entry is a complex multi-step process, involving several cellular factors that trigger virus uptake into the hepatocytes. The high- density lipoprotein receptor scavenger receptor class B type I, tetraspanin CD81, tight junction protein claudin-1, and occludin are the main receptors that mediate the initial step of HCV infection. In addition, the virus uses cell receptor tyrosine kinases as entry regulators, such as epidermal growth factor receptor and ephrin receptor A2. This review summarizes the current understanding about how cell surface molecules are involved in HCV attachment, internalization, and membrane fusion, and how host cell kinases regulate virus entry. The advances of the potential antiviral agents targeting this process are introduced.
Core tip: Cell entry is the first step in viral infection and replication, which offers an important target for antiviral therapy. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) cell entry is a complex multi-step process, involving a several cellular factors that trigger virus uptake into the hepatocytes. This review summarizes the current understanding about how cell surface molecules are involved in HCV attachment, internalization, and membrane fusion, and how host cell kinases regulate virus entry. The advances of the potential antiviral agents targeting this process are introduced.