Cellular entry and neutralization mechanisms of quasi-enveloped HEV
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Cellular entry and neutralization mechanisms of quasi-enveloped hepatitis E virus
IRAS ID
177559
Contact name
Harry Dalton
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) has recently emerged as a threat to human health in developed countries. HEV is transmitted to humans from pigs, probably via the food chain, as 10% of UK pork sausages are contaminated with HEV. In addition, in England 1:2,848 blood donations are contaminated with HEV, and donations are not currently screened. There are approximately 100,000 infections with HEV in England every year.
Our understanding of the basic biology of HEV is in its infancy. The main reason for this is that, until recently, HEV was impossible to grow in tissue culture. In the last 12 months, HEV cell lines have become available which are straightforward to grow in culture, thus facilitating study of basic virological mechanisms. HEV is a non-enveloped RNA virus. We know that HEV when leaves the human cell, it takes on part of the host cell membrane which acts as a ‘quasi-envelope’. The aim of this study is to determine how HEV enters human cells and how the human immune system neutralises HEV and the role of the ‘quasi-envelope’ in both. These data are vital in understanding the basic virology of HEV, and how this virus interacts with humans to cause disease.REC name
North West - Haydock Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/NW/0681
Date of REC Opinion
20 Aug 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion