Generation of Adenovirus for In Vitro and In Vivo Studies of Hepatocytes

Although non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) can progress to liver cancer and liver failure, no FDA-approved drugs exist to treat NASH. Deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of NASH will facilitate the development of effective treatments for NASH, and requires loss- or gain-of-function experimental approaches. While genetically modified animals provide important information about the function of a gene, adenovirus is a fast, effective, and versatile tool that allows transient knockdown, knockout, or overexpression of one or more genes of interest (GOIs) in primary hepatocytes in vitro and in mouse liver in vivo. In addition, adenovirus is a promising treatment method in preclinical animal models, including rodents and non-human primates, and is used in many clinical trials. Here, we describe a step-by-step protocol to generate adenovirus for basic medical research. We discuss critical steps during virus propagation and purification and provide notes about how to avoid common pitfalls.