Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 10, 2026

A Protocol for Analyzing Hepatitis C Virus Replication
13:04

A Protocol for Analyzing Hepatitis C Virus Replication

Published on: June 26, 2014

Hepatitis C virus core protein is a potent inhibitor of RNA silencing-based antiviral response

Yue Wang1, Naoya Kato, Amarsanaa Jazag

  • 1Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. euy-tokyo@umin.ac.jp

Gastroenterology
|March 15, 2006
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection persistence is limited by RNA interference (RNAi). However, HCV core protein suppresses this antiviral response, potentially leading to chronic infection and disease.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Persistent Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of chronic hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  • RNA interference (RNAi) represents a potential host defense mechanism against viral RNA replication.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role and mechanism of RNA interference (RNAi) in controlling Hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication.
  • To elucidate how HCV evades the host's RNAi antiviral response.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized short interfering RNA (siRNA) detection assays to assess RNAi effects on HCV replicative intermediates and the internal ribosome entry site (IRES).
  • Employed RNAi assays to study the mechanisms by which HCV escapes RNAi-mediated inhibition.

Main Results:

  • The enzyme Dicer effectively targets and processes HCV IRES and replicative intermediates into approximately 22-nucleotide siRNA, inhibiting viral replication.
  • HCV core protein was found to directly interact with Dicer, thereby inhibiting RNAi and rescuing viral replication.

Conclusions:

  • RNAi acts as a critical limiting factor in HCV infection.
  • HCV core protein actively suppresses the host's RNA silencing antiviral response.
  • This suppression of host defense by the core protein may drive persistent HCV infection and contribute to viral pathogenesis.

More Related Videos

Two Methods of Heterokaryon Formation to Discover HCV Restriction Factors16:49

Two Methods of Heterokaryon Formation to Discover HCV Restriction Factors

Published on: July 16, 2012

High-throughput Screening for Broad-spectrum Chemical Inhibitors of RNA Viruses11:34

High-throughput Screening for Broad-spectrum Chemical Inhibitors of RNA Viruses

Published on: May 5, 2014

Related Concept Videos

Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis01:30

Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis

Protein synthesis is indispensable for viral replication, as viruses lack the cellular machinery required for this process and must hijack the host's translational apparatus. In response, host cells deploy a critical innate immune defense involving interferons, specialized cytokines that play a central role in inhibiting viral propagation.Upon viral detection, infected cells release interferons that bind to receptors on adjacent uninfected cells, activating the JAK-STAT signaling pathway and...
Inhibitors Of Virion Release01:25

Inhibitors Of Virion Release

Viral replication and dissemination rely on efficient mechanisms for host cell entry, genome replication, assembly, and release. Influenza viruses, such as types A and B, are negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses with a segmented genome, that depend on two critical surface glycoproteins to carry out these processes: hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). HA initiates infection by binding to sialic acid residues on the surface of host epithelial cells, facilitating receptor-mediated...
RNA Interference01:23

RNA Interference

RNA interference (RNAi) is a process in which a small non-coding RNA molecule blocks the post-transcriptional expression of a gene by binding to its messenger RNA (mRNA) and preventing the protein from being translated.
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
RNA Interference01:23

RNA Interference

RNA interference (RNAi) is a process in which a small non-coding RNA molecule blocks the post-transcriptional expression of a gene by binding to its messenger RNA (mRNA) and preventing the protein from being translated.
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
Inhibitors of Virion Maturation and Assembly01:19

Inhibitors of Virion Maturation and Assembly

As part of their replication cycle, certain viruses synthesize long precursor proteins called polyproteins within infected host cells. In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), two major polyproteins are produced: Gag and Gag-Pol. The Gag polyprotein supplies the structural components of the virus, while Gag-Pol includes essential viral enzymes such as reverse transcriptase, integrase, and protease. After synthesis, these polyproteins move to the host cell membrane, where they assemble into an...
Antiviral Nucleoside Inhibitors01:22

Antiviral Nucleoside Inhibitors

Antiviral Nucleoside InhibitorsAntiviral nucleoside inhibitors are structural analogs of natural nucleosides that interfere with viral DNA or RNA synthesis. These compounds selectively target viral polymerases due to their resemblance to host nucleosides, thereby disrupting viral genome replication.Mechanism of Acyclovir ActionAcyclovir is a guanosine analog with a three-carbon acyclic side chain. It selectively targets herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2),...