Hepatitis B virus infection initiates with a large surface protein–dependent binding to heparan sulfate proteoglycans
Andreas Schulze, Philippe Gripon, Stephan Urban – 28 November 2007 – Contrary to many other viruses, the initial steps of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, including attachment to hepatocytes, specific receptor interactions, and membrane fusion, are unsolved. Using HepaRG cells as an in vitro cell culture system, we here report that HBV entry into hepatocytes depends on the interaction with the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) side chains of cell‐surface–associated heparan sulfate proteoglycans.