Research on mechanism of hepatitis E virus egress utilizing membrane traffic

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25860343
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Virology
• Research Institution: Jichi Medical University
• Principal Investigator: NAGASHIMA Shigeo 自治医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (60433116)
• Research Collaborator: OKAMOTO Hiroaki 自治医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (30177092) ; TAKAHASHI Masaharu 自治医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (70326841) ; NISHIZAWA Tsutomu 自治医科大学, 医学部, 非常勤講師 (30306112) ; KOBAYASHI Tominari 自治医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (00634164) ; YASHIRO Takashi 自治医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (80119859) ; KOUKI Tom 自治医科大学, 医学部, 客員研究員 (70350436)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: E型肝炎ウイルス / エクソソーム / 多胞体 / 出芽 / 放出 / エクソソーム分泌経路

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We investigated the requirement of the exosomal pathway for the release of hepatitis E virus (HEV) virions by using an inhibitor and accelerator of exosome release or small interfering RNAs against Rab27A and Hrs. These studies revealed that the exosomal pathway is required for the release of HEV virions. Electron microscopic observations revealed the presence of membrane-associated virus particles with a diameter of approximately 50 nm within the multivesicular body (MVB), which possessed internal vesicles in infected cells. These findings indicate that membrane-associated HEV particles are released together with internal vesicles (exosomes) through MVBs by the cellular exosomal pathway.

Free Research Field

ウイルス学