Variability in molecular characteristics of Hepatitis E Virus quasispecies could modify viral surface properties and transmission.

Fiche publication

Date publication

avril 2021

Journal

Journal of viral hepatitis

Auteurs

Membres identifiés du Cancéropôle Est :
Pr BRONOWICKI Jean-Pierre , Dr JEULIN Hélène

Tous les auteurs :
Hartard C, Fenaux H, Gentilhomme A, Murray JM, Akand E, Laugel E, Berger S, Maul A, de Rougemont A, Jeulin H, Remen T, Bensenane M, Bronowicki JP, Gantzer C, Bertrand I, Schvoerer E

Lien Pubmed

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33877740

Résumé

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) usually causes self-limited liver diseases but can also result in severe cases. Genotypes 1 (G1) and 2 circulate in developing countries, are human-restricted and waterborne while zoonotic G3 and G4 circulating in industrialized countries preferentially infect human through consumption of contaminated meat. Our aims were to identify amino acid patterns in HEV variants that could be involved in pathogenicity or in transmission modes, related to their impact on antigenicity and viral surface hydrophobicity. HEV sequences from human (n=37) and environmental origins (wild boar [n=3], pig slaughterhouse effluent [n=6] and urban wastewater [n=2]) were collected for the characterization of quasispecies using ultra-deep sequencing (ORF2/ORF3 overlap). Predictive and functional assays were carried out to investigate viral particle antigenicity and hydrophobicity. Most quasispecies showed a major variant while a mixture was observed in urban wastewater and in one chronically infected patient. Amino acid signatures were identified, as a rabbit-linked HEV pattern in two infected patients, or the S68L (ORF2) / H81C (ORF3) residue mostly identified in wild boars. By comparison with environmental strains, molecular patterns less likely represented in humans were identified. Patterns impacting viral hydrophobicity and/or antigenicity were also observed, and the higher hydrophobicity of HEV naked particles compared to the enveloped forms was demonstrated. HEV variants isolated from human and environment present molecular patterns that could impact their surface properties as well as their transmission. These molecular patterns may concern only one minor variant of a quasispecies, and could emerge under selective pressure.