An alternative model for HEV infection in the HepaRG cell line

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) causes acute hepatitis that can progress to fulminant or chronic hepatitis. For decades, the lack of a pertinent and robust cell culture system for HEV has delayed our understanding on this hepatotropic virus. HepaRG cells are one of the few hepatocyte-derived cell lines able to replicate HEV. These cells can differentiate (dHepaRG) into hepatocytes and cholangiocytes upon treatment with dimethyl sulfoxyde (DMSO) and are very relevant to study interactions between pathogens and hepatocyte innate immunity. However, the suitability of the HepaRG model to study HEV needs to be further investigated. In this study, we found that HEV can infect proliferating HepaRG cells and that DMSO-induced differentiation is not necessary for HEV infection. Moreover, even if treatment with DMSO is needed to maintain optimal differentiation and polarization of dHepaRG, its presence is detrimental for HEV infection. Overall, this study shows that dHepaRG cells cultured without DMSO is a suitable model to study HEV and its interaction with the hepatocyte innate immune system.