Hepatitis C virus induces E6AP-dependent degradation of the retinoblastoma protein.

ABSTRACT: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a positive-strand RNA virus that frequently causes persistent infections and is uniquely associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. While the mechanism(s) by which the virus promotes cancer are poorly defined, previous studies indicate that the HCV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, nonstructural protein 5B (NS5B), forms a complex with the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein (pRb), targeting it for degradation, activating E2F-responsive promoters, and stimulating cellular proliferation. Here, we describe the mechanism underlying pRb regulation by HCV and its relevance to HCV infection. We show that the abundance of pRb is strongly downregulated, and its normal nuclear localization altered to include a major cytoplasmic component, following infect

SUBMITTER: Munakata T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2323300 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature