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Evidence for cellular uptake of recombinant hepatitis C virus non‐enveloped capsid‐like particles
Author(s) -
Tsitoura Panagiota,
Georgopoulou Urania,
Pêtres Stéphane,
Varaklioti Agoritsa,
Karafoulidou Anastasia,
Vagena Dimitra,
Politis Constantina,
Mavromara Penelope
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2007.07.032
Subject(s) - capsid , virology , recombinant dna , viral envelope , hepatitis c virus , glycoprotein , virus , biology , virus like particle , viral entry , microbiology and biotechnology , viral replication , gene , genetics
Although the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an enveloped virus, naked nucleocapsids have been reported in the serum of infected patients, and most recently novel HCV subgenomes with deletions of the envelope proteins have been identified. However the significance of these findings remains unclear. In this study, we used the baculovirus expression system to generate recombinant HCV capsid‐like particles, and investigated their possible interactions with cells. We show that expression of HCV core in insect cells can sufficiently direct the formation of capsid‐like particles in the absence of the HCV envelope glycoproteins and of the 5′ untranslated region. By confocal microscopy analysis, we provide evidence that the naked capsid‐like particles could be uptaken by human hepatoma cells. Moreover, our findings suggest that they have the potential to produce cell‐signaling effects.