Hypothesis of the cellular immune response to hepatocytes after rAAV transduction. rAAV enters the hepatocyte by receptor-mediated endocytosis, wherein the vector genome, including the transgene, is released from the capsid (uncoating). Thereafter, the capsid is degraded in the cytosol, and capsid peptides are loaded onto major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I on the surface of the transduced hepatocytes. Presentation of capsid peptides on MHC class I triggers a cellular immune response to the transduced hepatocytes, resulting in clearance of the hepatocyte.