The HCV Envelope Glycoprotein Down-Modulates NF-κB Signalling and Associates With Stimulation of the Host Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Pathway.

ABSTRACT: Following acute HCV infection, the virus establishes a chronic disease in the majority of patients whilst few individuals clear the infection spontaneously. The precise mechanisms that determine chronic HCV infection or spontaneous clearance are not completely understood but are proposed to be driven by host and viral genetic factors as well as HCV encoded immunomodulatory proteins. Using the HIV-1 LTR as a tool to measure NF-κB activity, we identified that the HCV E1E2 glycoproteins and more so the E2 protein down-modulates HIV-1 LTR activation in 293T, TZM-bl and the more physiologically relevant Huh7 liver derived cell line. We demonstrate this effect is specifically mediated through inhibiting NF-κB binding to the LTR and show that this effect was conserved for all HCV genotypes tested

SUBMITTER: McKay LGA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8964954 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature