title: Subcellular localisation of NS3 in HCV-infected hepatocytes.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 is a multifunctional protein with both protease and helicase activities and has been shown to interact with host cell proteins. It is shown that NS3 is present in the hepatocytes from patients with chronic HCV infection by using anti-NS3 antisera. NS3 is detectable in approximately 4% of the hepatocytes from these patients. In most infected cells, NS3 is present in the cytoplasm; however, in a minority of HCV-infected cells, both the cytoplasm and the nucleus or the nucleus on its own are positive for NS3. The presence of NS3 in the nuclei of hepatocytes in chronically infected patients indicates that the protein may play a role other than in virus replication, such as in persistence of HCV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Imperial College School of Medicine, London, England.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Errington
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Wardell
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Goldin
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: McGarvey
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000821:virology; D004926:Escherichia coli; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000378:metabolism; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000821:virology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013347:Subcellular Fractions; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; C084422:NS3 protein, hepatitis C virus; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases