The molecular interplay between cellular host factors and viral proteins is a continuous process throughout the viral life cycle determining virus host range and pathogenesis. The hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a long-neglected RNA virus and the major causative agent of acute viral hepatitis in humans worldwide. However, the mechanisms of liver pathology and clinical disease remain poorly understood for HEV infection. This review summarizes our current understanding of HEV–host cell interactions and highlights experimental strategies and techniques to identify novel host components required for the viral life cycle as well as restriction factors. Understanding these interactions will provide insight into the viral life cycle of HEV and might further help to devise novel therapeutic strategies and antiviral targets.

细胞宿主因子和病毒蛋白之间的分子相互作用是贯穿病毒生命周期的连续过程，决定了病毒宿主范围和发病机制。戊型肝炎病毒 (HEV) 是一种长期被忽视的 RNA 病毒，是全世界人类急性病毒性肝炎的主要病原体。然而，对于 HEV 感染的肝脏病理学和临床疾病机制仍知之甚少。这篇综述总结了我们目前对 HEV 与宿主细胞相互作用的理解，并强调了确定病毒生命周期所需的新型宿主成分以及限制因素的实验策略和技术。了解这些相互作用将提供对 HEV 病毒生命周期的深入了解，并可能进一步帮助设计新的治疗策略和抗病毒靶点。