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Journal of Virology, November 2001, p. 11017-11024, Vol. 75, No. 22
Liver Research Unit1
and Department of Pathology,2 Chang Gung
Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine,
Taipei, Taiwan
Received 11 June 2001/Accepted 16 August 2001
Although hepatitis C virus E2 protein can bind to human cells by
interacting with a putative viral receptor, CD81, the interaction alone
is not sufficient to establish permissiveness for hepatitis C virus
infection. Using an Epstein-Barr virus-based extrachromosomal replication system, we have screened through a human liver cDNA library
and successfully identified a cDNA capable of supporting hepatitis C
virus replication in an otherwise nonpermissive cell line. This cDNA
encodes a protein exhibiting homology to a group of proteins derived
from various evolutionarily distant species, including Oryza
sativa submergence-induced protein 2A. The mRNAs encoding this
factor are heterogeneous at the 5' ends and are ubiquitously expressed
in multiple tissues, albeit in a very small amount. The longest mRNA
contains an in-frame and upstream initiation codon and codes for a
larger protein. This 5'-extended form of mRNA was detected in
hepatocellular carcinoma, but not in normal liver tissue.
Immunofluorescence analysis demonstrated that the hepatic factor was
distributed evenly in cells, but occasionally formed aggregations in
the peri- or intranuclear areas. In summary, we have identified a
hepatic factor capable of supporting hepatitis C virus replication in
an otherwise nonpermissive cell line. This factor belongs to a
previously uncharacterized protein family. The physiological function
of this protein awaits further study.
0022-538X/01/$04.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/JVI.75.22.11017-11024.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Identification of a Hepatic Factor Capable of
Supporting Hepatitis C Virus Replication in a Nonpermissive
Cell Line
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Liver Research
Unit, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 199 Tung Hwa North Rd., Taipei 105, Taiwan. Phone: 886-3-3281200, ext. 8120. Fax: 886-3-3282824. E-mail: catyeh{at}ms14.hinet.net.
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