Hepatitis C virus core protein

Abstract

Coevolution occurs between viruses and their hosts. The hosts need to evolve means to eliminate pathogenic virus infections, and the viruses, for their own survival and multiplication, have to develop mechanisms to escape clearance by hosts. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) of Flaviviridae is a pathogen which infects human liver and causes hepatitis, a condition of liver inflammation. Unlike most of the other flaviviruses, HCV has an excellent ability to evade host immunity to establish chronic infection. The persistent liver infection leads to chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as well as extrahepatic HCV-related diseases. HCV genomic RNA only expresses 10 proteins, many of which bear functions, in addition to those involved in HCV life cycle, for assisting the virus to develop its persistency. HCV core protein is a structural protein which encapsulates HCV genomic RNA and assembles into nucleocapsids. The core protein is also found to exert functions to affect host inflammation and immune responses by altering a variety of host pathways. This paper reviews the studies regarding the HCV core protein-induced alterations of host immunity and inflammatory responses, as well as the involvements of the HCV core protein in pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine stimulations, host cellular transcription, lipid metabolism, cell apoptosis, cell proliferations, immune cell differentiations, oxidative stress, and hepatocyte steatosis, which leads to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and HCC. Implications of roles played by the HCV core protein in therapeutic resistance are also discussed.

The roles of HCV core protein and its binding host factor in virus assembly and release

“…These characteristics suggest its crucial role in surrounding and protecting genomic RNA as a viral capsid protein, as well as in genome packaging and virion assembly. In addition, it is involved in various cellular responses such as modulating host cell transcription, influencing apoptosis (inhibition or stimulation), and suppressing host immunity (17). Extensive investigations on the HCV core have yielded numerous published papers.…”

Comparison, Analysis, and Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Structures of a Viral Protein Modeled Using Various Computational Tools

“…The hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein (HCVcp) is a protein that assembles into the HCV capsid, which encloses and protects the viral genome [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. In addition to its principal role, HCVcp alters host inflammatory responses to facilitate viral evasion from the host immune response and the establishment of persistent liver infection [ 26 ]. HCVcp exhibits both proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory activities [ 26 ].…”

“…In addition to its principal role, HCVcp alters host inflammatory responses to facilitate viral evasion from the host immune response and the establishment of persistent liver infection [ 26 ]. HCVcp exhibits both proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory activities [ 26 ]. Through its anti-inflammatory and proinflammatory activities, HCVcp facilitates viral survival and disease (hepatitis) development, respectively.…”

“…Through its anti-inflammatory and proinflammatory activities, HCVcp facilitates viral survival and disease (hepatitis) development, respectively. HCVcp targets various compartments of HCV host cells [ 26 , 27 , 28 ]. Evidence suggests that HCVcp directly interacts with Toll-like receptors on host cells [ 29 ], which play key roles in mediating host inflammatory responses [ 30 ].…”

“…Evidence suggests that HCVcp directly interacts with Toll-like receptors on host cells [ 29 ], which play key roles in mediating host inflammatory responses [ 30 ]. Prolonged inflammation leads to chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and extrahepatic HCV-related diseases [ 26 ]. The full-length sequence of HCVcp comprises 191 AAs and can be divided into three domains.…”