Specific acquisition of functional CD59 but not CD46 or CD55 by hepatitis C virus.

ABSTRACT: Viruses of different families encode for regulators of the complement system (RCAs) or acquire such RCAs from the host to get protection against complement-mediated lysis (CML). As hepatitis C virus (HCV) shares no genetic similarity to any known RCA and is detectable at high titers in sera of infected individuals, we investigated whether HCV has adapted host-derived RCAs to resist CML. Here we report that HCV selectively incorporates CD59 while neither CD55, nor CD46 are associated with the virus. The presence of CD59 was shown by capture assays using patient- and cell culture-derived HCV isolates. Association of CD59 with HCV was further confirmed by Western blot analysis using purified viral supernatants from infected Huh 7.5 cells. HCV captured by antibodies specific for CD59 remained

SUBMITTER: Ejaz A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3458075 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature