Initiation of hepatitis C virus infection requires the dynamic microtubule network: role of the viral nucleocapsid protein.

ABSTRACT: Early events leading to the establishment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are not completely understood. We show that intact and dynamic microtubules play a key role in the initiation of productive HCV infection. Microtubules were required for virus entry into cells, as evidenced using virus pseudotypes presenting HCV envelope proteins on their surface. Studies carried out using the recent infectious HCV model revealed that microtubules also play an essential role in early, postfusion steps of the virus cycle. Moreover, low concentrations of vinblastin and nocodazol, microtubule-affecting drugs, and paclitaxel, which stabilizes microtubules, inhibited infection, suggesting that microtubule dynamic instability and/or treadmilling mechanisms are involved in HCV internalization and early

SUBMITTER: Roohvand F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2679479 | biostudies-literature | 2009 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature