Release of Infectious Hepatitis C Virus from Huh7 Cells Occurs via a <i>trans</i> -Golgi Network-to-Endosome Pathway Independent of Very-Low-Density Lipoprotein Secretion

Abstract

The mechanisms by which infectious hepatitis C virus particles are assembled and released from the cell are poorly understood. We show that the virus subverts host cell trafficking pathways to effect the release of virus particles and disrupts the structure of the Golgi apparatus, a key cellular organelle involved in secretion. In addition, we demonstrate that the mechanisms used by the virus to exit the cell are distinct from those used by the cell to release lipoproteins, suggesting that the virus effects a unique modification to cellular trafficking pathways.