Infection of human hepatocyte cell lines with hepatitis C virus in vitro.

Hepatocyte related cell lines, namely human embryonic hepatocyte cell line (WRL68) and hepatoblastoma cell line (Hep G2), were tested for their ability to support hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication in vitro. The replicative intermediate of the minus strand HCV RNA was newly transcribed from the inoculated virus, and was stable in WRL68 cells over a period of 62 days. HCV RNA detected in the culture medium at 62 days after infection suggested a long period of virus secretion from this cell line. In Hep G2, transcription of the minus strand HCV RNA was also detected until 39 days after infection, but transcription and secretion of viral progeny could not be demonstrated. Although HCV infection of WRL68 was not high, this cell line might prove to be a useful tool for studying HCV replication in vitro.