title: Evidence of MAPK-JNK1/2 activation by hepatitis E virus ORF3 protein in cultured hepatoma cells.
abstract: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) has recently emerged to cause chronic infection in some immunosuppressed individuals, including extrahepatic manifestations in acute and chronic patients. Mammalian MAPK-JNK1/2 is expressed in hepatocytes, which is known to be involved in anti-apoptotic signaling pathway for the establishment of persistent infection. Though in vitro modulation of cellular MAPK-ERK cascade by HEV-ORF3 protein is suggested to have a role in host pathobiology, activation of the JNK module has not been studied so far. In this report, we have shown for the first time, evidence of MAPK-JNK1/2 activation by HEV-ORF3, using viral replicon as well as expression vector in human hepatoma cells. Phospho-ELISA based relative quantitaion has demonstrated ~54% and ~66% phosphorylation of JNK1/2 in replicon-RNA and ORF3-vector DNA transfected cells, respectively. Our finding however, suggests further molecular studies to validate a role of JNK1/2 in HEV pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, King Saud University College of Pharmacy, PO Box 2457, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia, khalid_parvez@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mohammad Khalid
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Parvez
authors.forename: Mohammed Salem
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Al-Dosari