Schistosoma mansoni soluble egg antigens enhance HCV replication in mammalian cells.
BACKGROUND
This work demonstrates successful propagation of HCV in HepG2 and human blood cells as well as viral shedding into their culture media. The influence of Schistosoma mansoni crude soluble egg antigens (SEA) on the rate of viral propagation in both mammalian cells was also monitored.


METHODS
HepG2 cells were inoculated with HCV viremic human sera and some wells were exposed to HCV infection in presence of SEA. Cells were harvested for RT-PCR and Western blotting analysis. HepG2 media was collected for HCV ELISA. Blood samples from HCV-infected humans were cultured in the presence and absence of SEA. Media were collected at different time points post culturing and subjected to HCV ELISA.


RESULTS
The ELISA concentration of HCV antigens were generally higher in media of infected HepG2 cells compared to media of control cells at all time intervals post infection. Western blots showed reactivity to immunogenic peptides of different molecular weights in lysate of infected HepG2 cells that were not evidenced in uninfected cells. In presence of SEA, RT-PCR results revealed earlier detection of viral RNA in infected HepG2 cells compared to in absence of such bilharzial antigen. Also, ELISA results revealed higher levels of detected HCV antigens in media of both infected HepG2 and blood cells cocultured with S. mansoni SEA compared to that of cultured infected cells in absence of the parasite antigens.


CONCLUSIONS
HepG2 cells as well as whole blood cultures maintain HCV replication. Furthermore, SEA has the potential to enhance HCV propagation.
Bahgat
Mahmoud Mohamed
MM
Therapeutic Chemistry Department, Immunology and Infectious Diseases Laboratory, the Center of Excellence for Advanced Sciences, the National Research Center, Dokki, Cairo, 12311, Egypt. mbahgatriad@yahoo.com
El-Far
Mohamed Abd-Elhafez
MA
Mesalam
Ahmed Atef
AA
Ismaeil
Amany Abd-Elghany
AA
Ibrahim
Ahmed Atef
AA
Gewaid
Hossam Eid
HE
Maghraby
Amany Sayed
AS
Ali
Mohamed Ahmed
MA
Abd-Elshafy
Dina Nadeem
DN
D000818:Animals; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000737:chemistry*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects*
D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral