**2.1 Heparanase in viral hepatitis**

As viruses utilize membrane structure for invading cells, HSPGs are involved in the process of cell infection and inclusion of viruses into host cells [71]. In their study, Gallard et al. demonstrated that hepatitis C virus (HCV) propagation resulted in significant heparanase induction in hepatocytes, while downregulation of heparanase resulted in significant attenuation of HCV infection, suggesting an important role of heparanase in HCV life cycle. Heparanase action was apparently secondary to enhancement of CD63 synthesis and exosomic secretion [72].
