title: HCV core protein represses the apoptosis and improves the autophagy of human hepatocytes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to investigate the influence on human hepatocytes apoptosis and autophagy by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein.
  
  
  METHODS
  QSG-7701, a human-derived non-neoplastic liver cell line, was transfected with PIRES-core vector that was a eukaryotic vector to express HCV core protein. Fluorescence microscope was used to observe the changes of nuclei in apoptosis cells by Annex in V-FITC/PI double staining. Flow cytometry was applied to detect the rate of cell apoptosis. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of HCV core protein, transcription factor nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), autophagic biomarker microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3), and Beclin-1.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The apoptosis rate was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in QSG7701/core group (transfected with PIRES-core vector, (1.34±0.07)%) than in QSG7701 group (no transfection, (2.35±0.11)%) and in QSG7701 QSG7701/pcDNA3.1 group (transfected with pcDNA3.1 vector, (2.58±0.1)%). NF-κB expression was up-expressed in QSG7701/core group than in QSG7701/pcDNA3.1 group and QSG7701 group (P < 0.05). LC3-II expression and Beclin-1 expression was significant higher in QSG7701/core group than in the QSG7701/pcDNA3.1 group and QSG7701 group (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HCV core protein can repress the apoptosis and improve the autophagy of QSG7701 through up-regulating NF-κB and Beclin-1 expression.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Shandong University Jinan 250012, China ; Department of Gastroenterology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital Jinan 250014, China.
authors.forename: Changhong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Zouping Affiliated Hospital of Taishan Medical College Zouping 256200, China.
authors.forename: Aihua
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (College of Basic Medical Sciences), Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Jinan 250355, China.
authors.forename: Xiaochun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital Jinan 250014, China.
authors.forename: Yiguo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
keywords: Beclin-1; Cell autophagy; LC3-II; NF-κB; apoptosis