scholarly journals Generation of Combinatorial Lentiviral Vectors Expressing Multiple Anti-Hepatitis C Virus shRNAs and Their Validation on a Novel HCV Replicon Double Reporter Cell Line

Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 1044 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hossein M. Elbadawy ◽  
Mohi I. Mohammed Abdul ◽  
Naif Aljuhani ◽  
Adriana Vitiello ◽  
Francesco Ciccarese ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Cell Line ◽  
Lentiviral Vectors ◽  
Cell Number ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Hcv Rna ◽  
Reporter Cell Line ◽  
Reporter Cell ◽  
Subgenomic Replicon

Despite the introduction of directly acting antivirals (DAAs), for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, their cost, patient compliance, and viral resistance are still important issues to be considered. Here, we describe the generation of a novel JFH1-based HCV subgenomic replicon double reporter cell line suitable for testing different antiviral drugs and therapeutic interventions. This cells line allowed a rapid and accurate quantification of cell growth/viability and HCV RNA replication, thus discriminating specific from unspecific antiviral effects caused by DAAs or cytotoxic compounds, respectively. By correlating cell number and virus replication, we could confirm the inhibitory effect on the latter of cell over confluency and characterize an array of lentiviral vectors expressing single, double, or triple cassettes containing different combinations of short hairpin (sh)RNAs, targeting both highly conserved viral genome sequences and cellular factors crucial for HCV replication. While all vectors were effective in reducing HCV replication, the ones targeting viral sequences displayed a stronger antiviral effect, without significant cytopathic effects. Such combinatorial platforms as well as the developed double reporter cell line might find application both in setting-up anti-HCV gene therapy approaches and in studies aimed at further dissecting the viral biology/pathogenesis of infection.

A reporter cell line for rapid and sensitive evaluation of hepatitis C virus infectivity and replication

2009 ◽  
Vol 83 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michaela Iro ◽  
Jeroen Witteveldt ◽  
Allan G.N. Angus ◽  
Ilka Woerz ◽  
Artur Kaul ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Cell Line ◽  
Virus Infectivity ◽  
Reporter Cell Line ◽  
Reporter Cell

scholarly journals Creation and characterization of a cell-death reporter cell line for hepatitis C virus infection

2010 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 220-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhilei Chen ◽  
Rudo L. Simeon ◽  
Karuppiah Chockalingam ◽  
Charles M. Rice
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Virus Infection ◽  
Cell Line ◽  
Reporter Cell Line ◽  
Hepatitis C Virus Infection ◽  
Reporter Cell ◽  
A Cell

scholarly journals Effect of Cell Growth on Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Replication and a Mechanism of Cell Confluence-Based Inhibition of HCV RNA and Protein Expression

2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 1181-1190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather B. Nelson ◽  
Hengli Tang
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Cell Growth ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Physiological State ◽  
Inhibitory Effect ◽  
Cell Number ◽  
Serum Starvation ◽  
Hcv Rna ◽  
Cell Growth Arrest

ABSTRACT An intimate relationship between hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication and the physiological state of the host liver cells has been reported. In particular, a highly reproducible and reversible inhibitory effect of high cell density on HCV replication was observed: high levels of HCV RNA and protein can be detected in actively growing cells but decline sharply when the replicon cells reach confluence. Arrested cell growth of confluent cells has been proposed to be responsible for the inhibitory effect. Indeed, other means of arresting cell growth have also been shown to inhibit HCV replication. Here, we report a detailed study of the effect of cell growth and confluence on HCV replication using a flow cytometry-based assay that is not biased against cytostasis and reduced cell number. Although we readily reproduced the inhibitory effect of cell confluence on HCV replication, we found no evidence of inhibition by serum starvation, which arrested cell growth as expected. In addition, we observed no inhibitory effect by agents that perturb the cell cycle. Instead, our results suggest that the reduced intracellular pools of nucleosides account for the suppression of HCV expression in confluent cells, possibly through the shutoff of the de novo nucleoside biosynthetic pathway when cells become confluent. Adding exogenous uridine and cytidine to the culture medium restored HCV replication and expression in confluent cells. These results suggest that cell growth arrest is not sufficient for HCV replicon inhibition and reveal a mechanism for HCV RNA inhibition by cell confluence.

scholarly journals Cellular RNA Helicase p68 Relocalization and Interaction with the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) NS5B Protein and the Potential Role of p68 in HCV RNA Replication

2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (10) ◽  
pp. 5288-5298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phuay-Yee Goh ◽  
Yee-Joo Tan ◽  
Siew Pheng Lim ◽  
Y. H. Tan ◽  
Seng Gee Lim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Cell Line ◽  
Rna Helicase ◽  
Hcv Rna ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Nonstructural Proteins ◽  
Negative Strand ◽  
Replicon Cell Line ◽  
Rna Helicase P68

ABSTRACT Chronic infection by hepatitis C virus (HCV) can lead to severe hepatitis and cirrhosis and is closely associated with hepatocellular carcinoma. The replication cycle of HCV is poorly understood but is likely to involve interaction with host factors. In this report, we show that NS5B, the HCV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), interacts with a human RNA helicase, p68. Transient expression of NS5B alone, as well as the stable expression of all the nonstructural proteins in a HCV replicon-bearing cell line (V. Lohmann, F. Korner, J.-O. Koch, U. Herian, L. Theilmann, and R. Bartenschlager, Science 285:110-113), causes the redistribution of endogenous p68 from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. Deletion of the C-terminal two-thirds of NS5B (NS5BΔC) dramatically reduces its coimmunoprecipitation (co-IP) with endogenous p68, while the deletion of the N-terminal region (NS5BΔN1 and NS5BΔN2) does not affect its interaction with p68. In consistency with the co-IP results, NS5BΔC does not cause the relocalization of p68 whereas NS5BΔN1 does. With a replicon cell line, we were not able to detect a change in positive- and negative-strand synthesis when p68 levels were reduced using small interfering RNA (siRNA). In cells transiently transfected with a full-length HCV construct, however, the depletion (using specific p68 siRNA) of endogenous p68 correlated with a reduction in the transcription of negative-strand from positive-strand HCV RNA. Overexpression of NS5B and NS5BΔN1, but not that of NS5BΔC, causes a reduction in the negative-strand synthesis, indicating that overexpressed NS5B and NS5BΔN1 sequesters p68 from the replication complexes (thus reducing their replication activity levels). Identification of p68 as a cellular factor involved in HCV replication, at least for cells transiently transfected with a HCV expression construct, is a step towards understanding HCV replication.

scholarly journals Palmitoylation and Polymerization of Hepatitis C Virus NS4B Protein

2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (12) ◽  
pp. 6013-6023 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guann-Yi Yu ◽  
Ki-Jeong Lee ◽  
Lu Gao ◽  
Michael M. C. Lai
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Membrane Structure ◽  
Rna Replication ◽  
Polymerization Process ◽  
Cysteine Residues ◽  
Hcv Rna ◽  
Subgenomic Replicon ◽  
Lipid Modifications ◽  
Ns4b Protein

ABSTRACT Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) NS4B protein induces a specialized membrane structure which may serve as the replication platform for HCV RNA replication. In the present study, we demonstrated that NS4B has lipid modifications (palmitoylation) on two cysteine residues (cysteines 257 and 261) at the C-terminal end. Site-specific mutagenesis of these cysteine residues on individual NS4B proteins and on an HCV subgenomic replicon showed that the lipid modifications, particularly of Cys261, are important for protein-protein interaction in the formation of the HCV RNA replication complex. We further demonstrated that NS4B can undergo polymerization. The main polymerization determinants were mapped in the N-terminal cytosolic domain of NS4B protein; however, the lipid modifications on the C terminus also facilitate the polymerization process. The lipid modification and the polymerization activity could be two properties of NS4B important for its induction of the specialized membrane structure involved in viral RNA replication.

scholarly journals Hydrophobic and Charged Residues in the C-Terminal Arm of Hepatitis C Virus RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase Regulate Initiation and Elongation

2014 ◽  
Vol 89 (4) ◽  
pp. 2052-2063 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy L. Cherry ◽  
Caitriona A. Dennis ◽  
Andrew Baron ◽  
Leslie E. Eisele ◽  
Pia A. Thommes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Primer Extension ◽  
Hcv Rna ◽  
Genome Replication ◽  
Rna Dependent Rna Polymerase ◽  
Subgenomic Replicon

ABSTRACTThe RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is essential for viral genome replication. Crystal structures of the HCV RdRp reveal two C-terminal features, a β-loop and a C-terminal arm, suitably located for involvement in positioning components of the initiation complex. Here we show that these two elements intimately regulate template and nucleotide binding, initiation, and elongation. We constructed a series of β-loop and C-terminal arm mutants, which were used forin vitroanalysis of RdRpde novoinitiation and primer extension activities. All mutants showed a substantial decrease in initiation activities but a marked increase in primer extension activities, indicating an ability to form more stable elongation complexes with long primer-template RNAs. Structural studies of the mutants indicated that these enzyme properties might be attributed to an increased flexibility in the C-terminal features resulting in a more open polymerase cleft, which likely favors the elongation process but hampers the initiation steps. A UTP cocrystal structure of one mutant shows, in contrast to the wild-type protein, several alternate conformations of the substrate, confirming that even subtle changes in the C-terminal arm result in a more loosely organized active site and flexible binding modes of the nucleotide. We used a subgenomic replicon system to assess the effects of the same mutations on viral replication in cells. Even the subtlest mutations either severely impaired or completely abolished the ability of the replicon to replicate, further supporting the concept that the correct positioning of both the β-loop and C-terminal arm plays an essential role during initiation and in HCV replication in general.IMPORTANCEHCV RNA polymerase is a key target for the development of directly acting agents to cure HCV infections, which necessitates a thorough understanding of the functional roles of the various structural features of the RdRp. Here we show that even highly conservative changes, e.g., Tyr→Phe or Asp→Glu, in these seemingly peripheral structural features have profound effects on the initiation and elongation properties of the HCV polymerase.

scholarly journals Participation of Rab5, an Early Endosome Protein, in Hepatitis C Virus RNA Replication Machinery

2007 ◽  
Vol 81 (9) ◽  
pp. 4551-4563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Stone ◽  
Shuaizheng Jia ◽  
Won Do Heo ◽  
Tobias Meyer ◽  
Kouacou V. Konan
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Early Endosome ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Hcv Rna ◽  
Small Interfering Rnas ◽  
Subgenomic Replicon ◽  
Gfp Fluorescence ◽  
Positive Strand Rna

ABSTRACT Like most positive-strand RNA viruses, hepatitis C virus (HCV) is believed to replicate its genome on the surface of rearranged membranes. We have shown previously that HCV NS4AB, but not the product NS4B, inhibits endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-to-Golgi protein traffic (K. V. Konan, T. H. Giddings, Jr., M. Ikeda, K. Li, S. M. Lemon, and K. Kirkegaard, J. Virol. 77:7843-7855). However, both NS4AB and NS4B can induce “membranous web” formation, first reported by Egger et al. (D. B Egger, R. Gosert, L. Bianchi, H. E. Blum, D. Moradpour, and K. Bienz, J. Virol. 76:5974-5984), which is also observed in HCV-infected cells (Y. Rouille, F. Helle, D. Delgrange, P. Roingeard, C. Voisset, E. Blanchard, S. Belouzard, J. McKeating, A. H. Patel, G. Maertens, T. Wakita, C. Wychowski, and J. Dubuisson, J. Virol. 80:2832-2841) and cells that bear a subgenomic NS5A-green fluorescent protein (GFP) replicon (D. Moradpour, M. J. Evans, R. Gosert, Z. Yuan, H. E. Blum, S. P. Goff, B. D. Lindenbach, and C. M. Rice, J. Virol. 78:7400-7409). To determine the intracellular origin of the web, we examined NS4B colocalization with endogenous cellular markers in the context of the full-length or subgenomic replicon. We found that, in addition to ER markers, early endosome (EE) proteins, including Rab5, were associated with web-inducing protein NS4B. Furthermore, an immunoisolated fraction containing NS4B was found to contain both ER and EE proteins. Using fluorescence microscopy, we showed that wild-type and constitutively active Rab5 proteins were associated with NS4B. Interestingly, expression of dominant-negative Rab5 resulted in significant loss of GFP fluorescence in NS5A-GFP replicon cells. We also found that a small reduction in Rab5 protein expression decreased HCV RNA synthesis significantly. Furthermore, transfection of labeled Rab5 small interfering RNAs into NS5A-GFP replicon cells resulted in a significant decrease in GFP fluorescence. Finally, Rab5 protein was found to coimmunoprecipitate with HCV NS4B. These studies suggest that EE proteins, including Rab5, may play a role in HCV genome replication or web formation.

scholarly journals Targeting Autophagy Augments Berberine-Mediated Cell Death in Human Hepatoma Cells Harboring Hepatitis C Virus RNA

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen-Jei Tai ◽  
Alagie Jassey ◽  
Ching-Hsuan Liu ◽  
Cheng-Jeng Tai ◽  
Christopher D. Richardson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Hepatitis C Virus ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Hepatoma Cell ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Hepatoma Cells ◽  
Hcv Rna ◽  
Human Hepatoma Cells ◽  
Subgenomic Replicon ◽  
Pharmacological Inhibition

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), including hepatitis C virus (HCV)-induced HCC, is a deadly disease highly refractory to chemotherapy, thus requiring the continuous identification of novel treatment strategies. Berberine (BBR) has been previously reported to inhibit hepatoma cell growth, but the main type of cell death elicited by BBR, and whether the alkaloid can inhibit hepatoma cells carrying HCV genomes, is unclear. Herein, we show that BBR treatment induced a biphasic cell death irrespective of the presence of HCV subgenomic replicon RNA, first triggering apoptosis that then progressed to necrosis between 24 and 48 h post-treatment. Furthermore, BBR treatment potentiated the HCV replicon-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, inhibition of which with an antioxidant attenuated the cell death that was elicited by BBR in these cells. Moreover, BBR dampened the autophagic response in HCV RNA-positive or negative hepatoma cells, and pharmacological inhibition of autophagy conversely augmented the BBR-induced cell death. Finally, BBR inhibited the growth of Huh-7 cells that were persistently infected with the full-length genome HCV particles, and concomitant pharmacological inhibition of autophagy potentiated the killing of these cells by BBR. Our findings suggest that combining BBR with the inhibition of autophagy could be an attractive treatment strategy against HCC, irrespective of the presence of the HCV genome.

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