Control of hepatitis C virus infection by the interferon system and virus – host co-evolution (09)

• Subject Area: Virology
• Term: since 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 272983813

A hallmark of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections is the high propensity to establish persistence. This is achieved by active suppression and perturbation of both innate and adaptive immune responses. However the mechanistic details are still poorly understood and the relative contributions of the various immune escape strategies for persistence are unknown. Here we want to address three complementary aspects: (i) how LGP2 modulates RIG-I and MDA5 triggered IFN responses, (ii) how HCV persists in IFN-activated cells and (iii) the long-term co-evolution of hepatitis viruses with their hosts.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 179: Determinants and dynamics of elimination versus persistence of hepatitis virus infection
• Applicant Institution: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Ralf Friedrich Wilhelm Bartenschlager