Impact of the enteric stage of hepatitis A virus and hepatitis E virus on the outcome of liver infection (22)

• Subject Area: Virology
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 272983813

Enterically transmitted hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) are the leading causes of acute viral hepatitis in developing countries. During the natural spreading of HAV and HEV along the gut-liver axis, viruses must enter intestinal epithelial cells by their apical side and de novo viruses have to be released from their basolateral side en route to the liver. Once in the liver, these viruses will infect hepatocytes from their basolateral side and de novo virus particles will be released back into the gastro-intestinal tract by polarized apical secretion into the bile canaliculi. In this proposal, the long term aims are to address how the enteric phase of the HAV and HEV life cycle impacts virus replication and spread in the liver and ultimately whether this contributes to the acute nature of HAV and HEV infection.

• 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 Heads: Professor Dr. Steeve Boulant, until 12/2021; Dr. Viet Loan Dao Thi, Ph.D.