Hepatic Steatosis Becomes Severe with Age in the Livers of Full-Length HCV Genome Transgenic Mice

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a growing public health concern worldwide. Vaccine preventing HCV has not yet been developed due to the hindrance of research on suitable small animal models. Previously, we made full-length HCV genome transgenic mice under the control of human Pol I promoter and these mice could replicate and produce infectious HCV particles in their livers. In the previous study, we have also found that these transgenic mice deposited lipids abnormally in their livers, but in the current study, we extensively examined the livers of these full-length HCV genome transgenic mice between 5 and 16 months of age and found that the excessive lipid deposition started as early as 5 months and persisted almost throughout the life. This excessive lipid deposition in liver is called hepatic steatosis, which is one of the important phenotypes of chronic HCV infection in human patients. In the current study, we have also found that the severity of hepatic steatosis is increased with the increase of age in our HCV genome transgenic mice. Thus, this in vivo study in HCV genome transgenic mice can provide us an insight in understanding the HCV related hepatic steatosis and also helps to develop drugs against HCV causing excessive lipid deposition in livers.