GB Virus C Replicates in Primary T and B Lymphocytes

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 193; no. 3; pp. 451 - 454
• Main Authors: George, Sarah L., Varmaz, Dino, Stapleton, Jack T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 01.02.2006; University of Chicago Press; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Antigens, CD19 - metabolism; B lymphocytes; B-Lymphocytes - virology; Biological and medical sciences; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - virology; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - virology; Cell lines; Cells, Cultured; Cultured cells; Flaviviridae Infections - complications; Flaviviridae Infections - virology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GB virus; GB virus C; GB virus C - genetics; GB virus C - isolation & purification; GB virus C - physiology; Hepatitis, Viral, Human - complications; Hepatitis, Viral, Human - virology; HIV; HIV Infections - complications; HIV Infections - virology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; RNA; RNA, Viral - blood; T lymphocytes; Viremia; Virology; Virus Replication; Viruses; Virus; Infection; Microbiology; T-Lymphocyte; B-Lymphocyte; Flaviviridae; Flavivirus; Hepatitis G virus
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1086/499435

GB virus C (GBV-C) infection is common in humans and may persist for decades, although most infected persons clear the virus and subsequently develop antibodies to the envelope glycoprotein. GBV-C replicates in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and CD4+ T lymphocytes in vitro, and depletion of CD4+ T lymphocytes has been proposed as the reason for clearance of GBV-C among persons positive for human immunodeficiency virus. We identified GBV-C RNA in purified CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes and CD19+ B lymphocytes removed ex vivo from infected donors and found that GBV-C replicated in vitro in these PBMC subsets, suggesting that GBV-C is a panlymphotropic virus