Solute carrier NTCP, a key actor in liver infections by hepatitis viruses and a promising antiviral target

Liver chronic infections by hepatotropic viruses remain a major health problem worldwide. Hepatitis B, C, and D viruses (HBV, HCV, HDV) are responsible for severe liver damages. In spite of different viral structures and life cycles, they all exclusively infect the liver, suggesting the presence of hepatocyte-specific factors allowing viral infection. If viral life cycles are already well described, the molecular interactions between liver host factors and viral structures remain elusive. Host factors represent promising targets for the development of new antiviral strategies. Recently, the bile acid transporter NTCP, mainly expressed at the cell surface of hepatocytes, was described as the first bona-fide receptor for both HBV and HDV. Moreover, this solute carrier was shown to be involved in the modulation of HCV entry, confirming its importance in liver infection by hepatic viruses. This review summarizes the interactions between NTCP and these three major viruses.