Abstract:

Abstract:Objective To compare the replication efficiency of HCV in different three-dimensional（3-D） culture systems for a better choice of HCV culture system in vitro. Methods The human immortalized hepatocytes HuS-E/2 cells were cultivated in hollow fiber,mebiol gel and hydrocell plate. The cells were incubated with the medium containing genotype 2a HCV JFH1 for infection. The cell proliferation was monitored with XTT assay. HCV amplification in 3-D cultured cells was measured with real time PCR. Results The cell proliferation were continuously increased in hollow fiber system and mebiol gel system. The cell number was 2-3 times increased at the end of culture.  After genotype 2a HCV-JFH1 infection,the titers of HCV were 2.95×10³ copies/1 μg total RNA,2×10³ copies/1 μg total RNA，and 1.18×10³ copies/1 μg total RNA in mebiol gel,hollow fiber and hydrocell plate respectively. Conclusion Compared with  hollow fiber culture system and hydrocell plate culture system,the cell proliferation is stable and the HCV replication is more efficient in the 3-D culture system for HCV based on mebiol gel system.

Key words: hepatitis C virus；culture in vitro； three-dimensional culture；virus replication