title: High expression of APOBEC3G in patients infected with hepatitis C virus.
abstract: APOBEC3G (an apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide-like 3G; also known as CEM15), a member of the APOBEC family, which possesses cytidine deaminase activity that causes C/G to T/A transition mutations in virus genomes such as human immunodeficiency virus 1 and hepatitis B virus, is reported to play an important role in host-defense mechanisms. However, APOBEC3G expression in patients infected with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV), of which there are currently more than 170 million worldwide, has not yet been well studied. We investigated this issue herein, and demonstrated an increased expression of APOBEC3G in both hepatocytes and lymphocytes of chronic hepatitis patients infected with HCV. Transfection of the NS5A gene, but not any other non-structural protein genes of HCV tested, to the hepatocellular carcinoma cell line enhanced APOBEC3G expression. Incubation of the cells with interferon also resulted in the augmentation. These results may provide new insight into the pathogenesis of chronic HCV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Asahi-machi 67, Kurume, Fukuoka 839-0011, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Komohara
authors.forename: Hirohisa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shichijo
authors.forename: Kunitada
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimotohno
authors.forename: Kyogo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamada
mesh_terms: D000071480:APOBEC-3G Deaminase; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003564:Cytidine Deaminase; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology*; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000494:pharmacology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000821:virology; D009700:Nucleoside Deaminases / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D012097:Repressor Proteins; D007372:Interferons; D009700:Nucleoside Deaminases; D000071480:APOBEC-3G Deaminase; C464924:APOBEC3G protein, human; D003564:Cytidine Deaminase