Low density lipoprotein receptor as a candidate receptor for hepatitis C virus

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) binds to different human cell lines in vitro. Howev er, the efficiency of adsorption is very low due mainly to a relatively sma ll fraction of the virus being able to bind to these cells. Free low densit y lipoprotein (LDL > 200 mu g/ml) is able to block the attachment of HCV to human fibroblasts in vitro completely. COS-7 cells being primarily not abl e to bind HCV were transfected with a vector containing the entire coding s equence of the human LDL-receptor (LDLR). HCV was now bound to these cells. We propose that HCV and LDL are competitive for the cellular LDLR and that LDL in sera of patients may regulate the binding of HCV to this target. J. Med. Virol. 57:223-229, 1999. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.