Hepatitis B Virus-induced modulation of liver macrophage functions promotes hepatocyte infection

Liver macrophages are the largest macrophages population, acting as the main liver sentinel. They are involved in pathogen clearance and/or pathogenesis. Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) chronically infects more than 250 million people worldwide and is responsible for liver diseases. The severity of the disease may differ according to the HBV genotype (from A to J). Our aim was to characterize the interplay between HBV (genotypes C and D) and liver as well as infiltrating macrophages in order to understand how HBV may escape the immune system to establish and maintain its infection.