title: Internalisation of hepatitis C virus core protein by human conjunctival fibroblasts.
abstract: Recent studies indicate that hepatitis C virus (HCV) proteins can mediate innate immune response and inflammation in conjunctival fibroblasts which contributes to the pathology of dry eye condition associated with chronic HCV infection. The present study investigates the phagocytic potential of human conjunctival fibroblasts (HCFj) for HCV core protein. HCFj cells were incubated with HCV core antigen for different periods of time, and fluorescent micrographs were taken to observe protein internalisation. HCFj cells were capable of internalising HCV core antigen within 1 h; this gives an insight into another molecular mechanism which may contribute towards HCV-associated conjunctival inflammation.
authors.affiliation: L & T Microbiology Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya; Department of Pathology (ARR), UT Southwestern Medical Center, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Rajalakshmy
authors.affiliation: L & T Microbiology Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Malathi
authors.affiliation: L & T Microbiology Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: H N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Madhavan
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Medical Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhaskar
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Medical Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Iyer
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000166:cytology; D004705:Endocytosis; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014758:Viral Core Proteins; C069130:nucleocapsid protein, Hepatitis C virus