Hepatic inflammation mediated by hepatitis C virus core protein is ameliorated by blocking complement activation.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The pathogenesis of inflammation and fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains unclear. Transgenic mice with constitutive HCV core over-expression display steatosis only. While the reasons for this are unclear, it may be important that core protein production in these models begins during gestation, in contrast to human hepatitis C virus infection, which occurs post-natally and typically in adults.

Aims

To more realistically model the effect of core protein production in the adult liver, we developed a mouse with conditional expression of HCV core and examined the effect of core protein production in the adult liver.

Methods

Liver biopsy samples from transgenic mice with tetracycline(tet)-regulated conditional core protein expression wer

SUBMITTER: Chang ML 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2734540 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature