Characterization of HCV genotype 5a envelope proteins: implications for vaccine development and therapeutic entry target.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the major causes of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma with an estimation of 185 million people with infection. The E2 is the main target for neutralizing antibody responses and the variation of this region is related to maintenance of persistent infection by emerging escape variants and subsequent development of chronic infection. While both E1 and E2 are hypervariable in nature, it is difficult to design vaccines or therapeutic drugs against them.

Objectives

The objective of this study was to characterize genotype 5a E1 and E2 sequences to determine possible glycosylation sites, conserved B-cell epitopes and peptides in HCV that could be useful targets in design of vaccine and entry inhibitors.

Patients and methods

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SUBMITTER: Gededzha MP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4286708 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature