In vitro expression of hepatitis C virus non-structure 5 antigen in the HepG2 cell line

Abstract

To establish a cell line as a model system for HCV infection and propagationin vitro, a human HepG2 cell line was incubated with a HCV RNA positive serum. The sABC immunological techniques and gold-labeled colloid electron microscopy method were employed to examine the viral proteins in those cells. The HCV non-structure 5 antigen was first detected in the HepG2 cells 72 h after incubation. The antigen was continuously observed in the cytoplasm as well on the membrane of the HepG2 cells even after 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks after incubation. The observation of HCV non-structure 5 antigen continuously expressed in the HepG2 cells strongly indicates that the cells may have been infected by HCV virus. Therefore, the HepG2 cell line may serve as a potential host for establishment of HCV infection and propagationin vitro.

Keywords

hepatitis C virus / infection / antigen / expression

References

[1] GoeserT. T, 1997,11: 41

[2] 1997, 24: 156

[3] LanfordR E, SureauC, JacobJR, et al.. Demonstration ofIn Vitro infection of chimpanzee hepatocytes with hepatitis C virus using strand-specific RT/PCR. Virology, 1994, 202: 606-606

[4] TsuboiS, NagamoriS, MiyazakiM, et al.. Persistence of Hepatitis C virus RNA in established human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. J Med Virol, 1996, 48: 133-133

[5] Hiramatsu N, Dash S, Gerber A. HCV cDNA transfection to HepG2 cells. J Viral Hpat, 1997, (suppl. 1):61

[6] DashS, HalimAB, TsujiH, et al.. Transfection of HepG2 cells with infectious hepatitis C virus genome. Am J Pathol, 1997, 151: 363-363

[7] Ouyang E, Wu C Het al. NS5B Huh-7 2000,8: 33

[8] MosnierJF, DegottC, MorcellinP, et al.. The itraportal lymphoid nodule and its environment in chronic active hepatitis C, an immunohistochemical study. Hepatology, 1993, 17: 366-366