title: Hepatitis C virus core proteins derived from different quasispecies of genotype 1b inhibit the growth of Chang liver cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the influence of different quasispecies of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1b core protein on growth of Chang liver cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three eukaryotic expression plasmids (pEGFP-N1/core) that contained different quasispecies truncated core proteins of HCV genotype 1b were constructed. These were derived from tumor (T) and non-tumor (NT) tissues of a patient infected with HCV and C191 (HCV-J6). The core protein expression plasmids were transiently transfected into Chang liver cells. At different times, the cell cycle and apoptosis was assayed by flow cytometry, and cell proliferation was assayed by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of S-phase Chang liver cells transfected with pEGFP-N1/core was significantly lower than that of cells transfected with blank plasmid at three different times after transfection (all P < 0.05). The proliferation ratio of cells transfected with pEGFP-N1/core was significantly lower than that of cells transfected with blank plasmid. Among three different quasispecies, T, NT and C191 core expression cells, there was no significant difference in the proportion of S- and G0/G1-phase cells. The percentage of apoptotic cells was highest for T (T > NT > C191), and apoptosis was increased in cells transfected with pEGFP-N1/core as the transfection time increased (72 h > 48 h > 24 h).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that HCV genotype 1b core protein induces apoptosis, and inhibits cell-cycle progression and proliferation of Chang liver cells. Different quasispecies core proteins of HCV genotype 1b might have some differences in the pathogenesis of HCV persistent infection and hepatocellular carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou 221002, Jiangsu Province, China. yxbxuzhou@126.com
authors.forename: Xue-Bing
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Mei-Rong
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pavio
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brechot
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D010957:Plasmids; D014162:Transfection; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014758:Viral Core Proteins