We first compared the effect of LPL on cell infection with different HCV strains produced in vitro in hepatoma cells (which have defective lipoprotein metabolism) with its effect on cell infection by the virus produced in primary human hepatocytes transplanted into uPA/SCID mice, a model mimicking the natural infection of differentiated human hepatocytes with normal lipid and lipoprotein metabolism [33], [34], [35], [36]. This evidence concerns the gene PLAU and infection.