Transgenic expression of Korean type hepatitis C virus core protein and related mutants in mice

• Published in: Experimental & molecular medicine Vol. 36; no. 6; pp. 588 - 593
• Main Authors: Wang, Ai-Guo, Moon, Hyung-Bae, Lee, Young-Ho, Yu, Seong-Lan, Kwon, Hyun-Jung, Han, Ying-Hao, Fang, Wan, Lee, Tae-Hoon, Jang, Kyung-Lib, Kim, Sang-Keun, Yu, Dae-Yeul, Lee, Dong-Seok
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Springer Nature B.V 31.12.2004; 생화학분자생물학회
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Base Sequence; Gene Expression; Genetic Vectors - genetics; Hepatitis C - pathology; Hepatitis C - virology; Hepatitis C virus; Hepatitis, Viral, Animal - pathology; Hepatitis, Viral, Animal - virology; Hepatocytes - pathology; Hepatocytes - virology; Liver - pathology; Liver - virology; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Molecular Sequence Data; Mutation - genetics; RNA, Messenger - chemistry; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Transgenes; Viral Core Proteins - analysis; Viral Core Proteins - genetics; Viral Core Proteins - metabolism; 생화학
• ISSN: 2092-6413; 1226-3613; 2092-6413
• DOI: 10.1038/emm.2004.76

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major causative agent in liver disease. In order to investigate if Korean type HCV core protein and its related mutants, S99Q and S1161, are cytopathic to liver, three types of transgenic mice were established. The expression of transgenes was confirmed by HCV specific RT-PCR and Western immunoblotting. The livers of all wild type core and S1161 transgenic lineages remained largely histologically normal. However, the livers of the S99Q transgenic mice showed significant high level of cell dysplasia associated with the transgene expression in hepatocytes largely located around the central veins by in situ hybridization analysis. In conclusion, the mutant HCV core protein at S99Q may contribute to the progress of HCV induced liver disease.