title: Hepatitis C virus, mitochondria and auto/mitophagy: exploiting a host defense mechanism.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the major reason for liver transplantation and the main cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality in a great number of countries. As for the other viruses, this pathogen interferes in more than one process and in more than one way with host cell biology. A mounting body of evidence points, in particular, toward the drastic alterations of mitochondrial physiology and functions that virus is able to induce, albeit the mechanisms have partly remained elusive. Role of the mitochondria in immunity and in quality control systems, as autophagy, as well as the strategies that HCV has evolved to evade and even to manipulate mitochondrial surveillance for its benefit, highlights the importance of deepening the mechanisms that modulate this virus-mitochondrion interaction, not only to intensify our knowledge of the HCV infection pathogenesis but also to design efficient antiviral strategies.
authors.affiliation: Vitalba Ruggieri, Carmela Mazzoccoli, Claudia Piccoli, Laboratory of Preclinical and Translational Research, IRCCS, Referral Cancer Center of Basilicata, 85028 Rionero in Vulture (PZ), Italy.
authors.forename: Vitalba
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ruggieri
authors.affiliation: Vitalba Ruggieri, Carmela Mazzoccoli, Claudia Piccoli, Laboratory of Preclinical and Translational Research, IRCCS, Referral Cancer Center of Basilicata, 85028 Rionero in Vulture (PZ), Italy.
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mazzoccoli
authors.affiliation: Vitalba Ruggieri, Carmela Mazzoccoli, Claudia Piccoli, Laboratory of Preclinical and Translational Research, IRCCS, Referral Cancer Center of Basilicata, 85028 Rionero in Vulture (PZ), Italy.
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pazienza
authors.affiliation: Vitalba Ruggieri, Carmela Mazzoccoli, Claudia Piccoli, Laboratory of Preclinical and Translational Research, IRCCS, Referral Cancer Center of Basilicata, 85028 Rionero in Vulture (PZ), Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andriulli
authors.affiliation: Vitalba Ruggieri, Carmela Mazzoccoli, Claudia Piccoli, Laboratory of Preclinical and Translational Research, IRCCS, Referral Cancer Center of Basilicata, 85028 Rionero in Vulture (PZ), Italy.
authors.forename: Nazzareno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Capitanio
authors.affiliation: Vitalba Ruggieri, Carmela Mazzoccoli, Claudia Piccoli, Laboratory of Preclinical and Translational Research, IRCCS, Referral Cancer Center of Basilicata, 85028 Rionero in Vulture (PZ), Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Piccoli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001343:Autophagy; D015195:Drug Design; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D063306:Mitophagy
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents
keywords: Autophagy; Hepatitis C virus; Immunity; Mitochondrial dysfunctions; Mitophagy