Researchers identify factors essential for chronic hepatitis B infection
Caption: Human hepatoma cells harboring modified hepatitis B virus cccDNA are labeled by green fluorescent proteins. Blue oval shapes are cell nuclei labeled by fluorescent Hoechst dye, which stains DNA. Nuclei without green fluorescent protein are cells that do not contain hepatitis B virus cccDNA. Credit: Lei Wei and Alexander Ploss
A study published in the journal Nature Microbiology identified factors that the hepatitis B virus uses when establishing long-term infection in the liver. The findings could help lead to treatment strategies for chronic HBV infection, a condition that increases the risk of developing liver cancer and is responsible for almost 900,000 deaths worldwide each year. Continue Reading on the Discovery: Research at Princeton blog →