An immunocompetent murine model of virus-elicited liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma - PubMed
7 hours ago
- #hepatocellular carcinoma
- #liver fibrosis
- #virus pathogenesis
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third deadliest cancer globally, with over 75% of cases linked to chronic viral infections.
- The study introduces an immunocompetent murine model using Norway rat hepacivirus (NrHV), closely related to HCV, to study chronic hepatitis, liver fibrosis, and HCC.
- NrHV-induced tumors in mice closely resemble HCV-associated human tumors, with transcriptome analyses showing significant similarities between NrHV and HCV infections.
- This model provides a physiologically relevant platform for studying virus-host interactions, fibrosis, and oncogenesis, bridging the gap between mouse studies and human liver cancer.
- The model's high HCC penetrance and use of the genetically tractable C57BL/6 background enhance its utility for mechanistic studies and therapeutic testing.
- Findings highlight the potential for irreversible disease reprogramming and elevated cancer risk even after viral clearance, relevant to HCV-cured patients.