Amino Acid Polymorphisms in Hepatitis C Virus Core Affect Infectious Virus Production and Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Molecule Expression.

ABSTRACT: Amino acid (aa) polymorphisms in the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1b core protein have been reported to be a potent predictor for poor response to interferon (IFN)-based therapy and a risk factor for hepatocarcinogenesis. We investigated the effects of these polymorphisms with genotype 1b/2a chimeric viruses that contained polymorphisms of Arg/Gln at aa 70 and Leu/Met at aa 91. We found that infectious virus production was reduced in cells transfected with chimeric virus RNA that had Gln at aa 70 (aa70Q) compared with RNA with Arg at aa 70 (aa70R). Using flow cytometry analysis, we confirmed that HCV core protein accumulated in aa70Q clone transfected cells, and it caused a reduction in cell-surface expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules induced by IFN t

SUBMITTER: Tasaka-Fujita M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4568458 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature