title: The effect of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 protein on the expression of miR-150, miR-199a, miR-335, miR-194 and miR-27a.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is considered one of the most important causes of chronic liver diseases. Many reports have shown that the proteins of the HCV via interactions with gene expression regulatory networks such as cellular pathways and microRNAs can contribute to the development of chronic liver diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of the HCV NS3 protein on the expression of miR-150 miR-199a, miR-335, miR-194, miR-27a in a cell culture model. Plasmids expressing the full length of the HCV NS3 protein were transfected into the LX-2 cell line, while at the same time a plasmid expressing empty GFP (green fluorescent protein) was used as a negative control group. Subsequently, total RNA was extracted and real-time PCR was performed to measure microRNA expression levels. Additionally, the trypan blue exclusion test was performed to examine the effect of the expressing NS3 protein plasmid on cellular viability. The analysis of microRNA gene expression in LX-2 cells indicated that the NS3 protein, which is endogenous to HCV, can significantly upregulate the expression of miR-27a and downregulate the expression of miR-335 and miR-150 in comparison with the control plasmid expressing GFP and normal cells (p < 0.01). These results suggest that the HCV NS3 protein may play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatic diseases such as liver fibrosis via interaction with cellular microRNAs and modulation of microRNA gene expressions.
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis Research Center and Department of Microbiology and Virology, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran; School of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran. Electronic address: khani.virologist@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sayyad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khanizadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehrdad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ravanshad
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology and Virology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Younes
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Hosseini
authors.affiliation: Infectious & Tropical Diseases Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
authors.forename: Parivash
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Davoodian
authors.affiliation: Department of the English Language, School of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Almasian
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Khanlari
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000502:physiology*; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000821:virology; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010957:Plasmids; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; C084422:NS3 protein, hepatitis C virus; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases
keywords: Chronic hepatitis; Fibrosis; HCV; LX-2; NS3; microRNA