title: High-level expression of hepatitis C virus (HCV) structural proteins by a chimeric HCV/BVDV genome propagated as a BVDV pseudotype.
abstract: A chimeric cDNA genome was constructed in which the core, E1 and E2 genes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) replaced the core, E(rns), E1 and E2 genes of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV). High levels of HCV structural proteins were expressed in a small number of human or bovine cells following transfection with chimeric RNA. However, in one cell line, bovine embryonic trachea cells [EBTr(A)], the number of cells expressing HCV proteins increased to greater than 70% following serial passage of culture medium. These cells were persistently infected with a non-cytopathogenic BVDV helper virus. In these cells, the chimeric genome was packaged into infectious particles that accumulated in the culture medium at a titer as high as 10(7)-10(9) genome equivalents per ml. The virus particles were pseudotypes, because they were neutralized by anti-BVDV but not by anti-HCV.
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis Viruses Section, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-0740, USA.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bukh
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Purcell
authors.forename: S U
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Emerson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002417:Cattle; D004274:DNA, Recombinant / Q000235:genetics; D001908:Diarrhea Viruses, Bovine Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006378:Helper Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D015531:Radioimmunoprecipitation Assay; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004274:DNA, Recombinant; D007106:Immune Sera; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins