Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40758741›Full record

ArticlePLoS pathogens2025

Screening of different species reveals cat hepatocytes support HBV infection.

Zaichao Xu, Kaitao Zhao, Jingjing Wang, Lu Zhang, Jiatong Yin, Nijing Chen, Sijia Chen, Gaihong Zhao, Mengfei Wang, Tailai Xin and 3 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS pathogens, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Zaichao XuState Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Hubei Provincial Research Center for Basic Biological Sciences and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Institute of Medical Virology, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, TaiKang Medical School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Kaitao ZhaoState Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Hubei Provincial Research Center for Basic Biological Sciences and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Institute of Medical Virology, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, TaiKang Medical School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Jingjing WangState Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Hubei Provincial Research Center for Basic Biological Sciences and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Institute of Medical Virology, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, TaiKang Medical School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Lu ZhangState Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Hubei Provincial Research Center for Basic Biological Sciences and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Institute of Medical Virology, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, TaiKang Medical School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Jiatong YinState Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Hubei Provincial Research Center for Basic Biological Sciences and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Institute of Medical Virology, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, TaiKang Medical School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Nijing ChenState Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Hubei Provincial Research Center for Basic Biological Sciences and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Institute of Medical Virology, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, TaiKang Medical School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Sijia ChenState Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Hubei Provincial Research Center for Basic Biological Sciences and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Institute of Medical Virology, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, TaiKang Medical School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Gaihong ZhaoState Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Hubei Provincial Research Center for Basic Biological Sciences and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Institute of Medical Virology, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, TaiKang Medical School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Mengfei WangState Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Hubei Provincial Research Center for Basic Biological Sciences and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Institute of Medical Virology, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, TaiKang Medical School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Tailai XinState Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Hubei Provincial Research Center for Basic Biological Sciences and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Institute of Medical Virology, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, TaiKang Medical School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Chengliang ZhuDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Xiaoming ChengState Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Hubei Provincial Research Center for Basic Biological Sciences and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Institute of Medical Virology, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, TaiKang Medical School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Yuchen XiaState Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Hubei Provincial Research Center for Basic Biological Sciences and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Institute of Medical Virology, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, TaiKang Medical School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.ORCID 0000-0001-8460-3893

Funding

Fundamental Research Funds for the Central UniversitiesNational Key Research and Development Program of ChinaNational Natural Science Foundation of China
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a major public health challenge, with nearly 300 million chronic infections, yet research is hindered by the lack of suitable animal models. This study aimed to identify HBV-susceptible species and establish a novel infection model. Primary hepatocytes from humans, cats, rabbits, Syrian hamsters, Siberian hamsters, guinea pigs, bulls, goats, pigs, cynomolgus macaques, and dogs were assessed for HBV entry using hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection. HBV relaxed circular DNA (rcDNA) transfection was performed to evaluate its repair into covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA). HBV infection assays were conducted in vitro. Results showed that primary hepatocytes from humans and cats were susceptible to HDV, suggesting their potential to support HBV entry. All tested hepatocytes converted rcDNA into cccDNA, confirming their ability to complete early HBV replication steps. Notably, cat hepatocytes uniquely supported HBV infection, displaying time-dependent viral replication marker expression. Cat hepatocytes also responded to antiviral treatments, underscoring their relevance for drug evaluation. This study provides the first evidence that cats can support HBV infection in vitro, offering a promising new platform for HBV research and antiviral development.

Indexed as

Disease Models, AnimalHepatitis BHepatitis B virusHepatocytesAnimalsCatsCells, CulturedCricetinaeDNA, ViralDogsGuinea PigsHumansMesocricetusRabbitsSpecies SpecificityVirus ReplicationDNA, Viral

Identifiers

PMID40758741
PMCPMC12333979

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.