The primary reservoir for hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication in vivo is believed to be hepatocytes within the liver. Three host cell molecules have been reported to be important entry factors for receptors for HCV: the tetraspanin CD81, scavenger receptor BI (SR-BI), and the tight-junction (TJ) protein claudin 1 (CLDN1). The recent discovery of a TJ protein as a critical coreceptor highlighted the importance of studying the effect(s) of TJ formation and cell polarization on HCV entry. The colorectal adenocarcinoma Caco-2 cell line forms polarized monolayers containing functional TJs and was found to express the CD81, SR-BI, and CLDN1 proteins. Viral receptor expression levels increased upon polarization, and CLDN1 relocalized from the apical pole of the lateral cell membrane to the lateral cell-cell junction and basolateral domains. In contrast, expression and localization of the TJ proteins ZO-1 and occludin 1 were unchanged upon polarization. HCV infected polarized and nonpolarized Caco-2 cells to comparable levels, and entry was neutralized by anti-E2 monoclonal antibodies, demonstrating glycoprotein-dependent entry. HCV pseudoparticle infection and recombinant HCV E1E2 glycoprotein interaction with polarized Caco-2 cells occurred predominantly at the apical surface. Disruption of TJs significantly increased HCV entry. These data support a model where TJs provide a physical barrier for viral access to receptors expressed on lateral and basolateral cellular domains.Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an enveloped positive-stranded RNA virus and the sole member of the Hepacivirus genus, within the family Flaviviridae. Worldwide, approximately 170 million individuals are infected with HCV and a significant fraction of these people are at risk of developing serious progressive liver disease. The principal reservoir for viral replication is believed to be hepatocytes within the liver. The recent development of the retrovirus pseudoparticle system (HCVpp) (5, 25) and the ability of the JFH-1 strain of HCV to release infectious particles in cell culture (HCVcc) (30,45,51) have allowed studies on the mechanism of HCV entry and replication.Viruses initiate infection by attaching to molecules or receptors on the cell surface. Expression and localization of these receptors are often important determinants of a cell's susceptibility to infection and of virus tropism for particular tissues. The observation that HCVpp only infect human liver-derived cell lines in vitro suggests that liver-specific receptors contribute to defining the hepatotropism of HCV. Current evidence suggests that at least three host cell molecules are important for HCV entry in vitro, i.e., the tetraspanin CD81 (5, 25, 35), scavenger receptor class B member I (SR-BI) (5,23,26,39), and tight-junction (TJ) protein claudin 1 (CLDN1) (19). Recent data suggest that CLDN6 and CLDN9 can also function as coreceptors allowing HCV entry (33, 50). HCV glycoproteins (gps) have been reported to interact directly with CD81 and SR-BI (reviewed in reference 11). Mutagenesis...