IL18 and infection: In contrast, primary hepatocytes (the target cells of HCV infection) and hepatoma cell lines failed to produce IL-18 when cultured with this panel of HCV pre-infection and V plasma samples or with HCVJFH-1 despite productive HCVJFH-1 infection of Huh 7.5 and 7.5.1 cells (Figure 1A & Figure S1B).