Journal article
Hepatitis C Virus Core Protein Enhances Telomerase Activity in Huh7 Cells
Journal of medical virology, Vol.82(2), pp.239-248
2010
DOI: 10.1002/jmv.21644
PMID: 20029802
Abstract
Hepatitis C is an oncogenic virus although the mechanisms responsible for this behavior are not clear. We studied the effects of hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein expression on Telomerase, an enzyme closely associated with cellular immortalization and neoplasia. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of HCV core protein on the regulation of Telomerase activity in human hepatoma cells. Regulation and expression of human Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) was compared in Huh7 cells stably transfected with HCV core protein or cells expressing vector alone. Telomerase activity was measured using Quantitative Telomerase Detection (QTD) and telomere length was measured by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Transient transfection and luciferase assay were used to evaluate TERT promoter activity. Telomerase activity was increased twofold in Huh7 cells expressing HCV core protein compared to controls (P < 0.01). This was accompanied by a 1.4-fold increase of TERT mRNA and 1.9-fold increase in TERT protein (P < 0.01 in either case). Cellular fractionation and immunocytochemical studies showed increased localization of TERT in the nucleus of core-expressing cells as compared to controls. FISH assay confirmed that telomeres of HCV core-expressing Huh7 cells were relatively longer than those of control cells (0.22 + 0.05 vs. 0.12 + 0.03, P < 0.01). TERT promoter activity was enhanced about 30% in HCV core-expressing Huh7 cells compared to control cells (P < 0.02). HCV core protein is associated with increased Telomerase activity in hepatoma cells. These findings suggest that enhancement of Telomerase activity by HCV core protein may contribute to the oncogenicity of HCV.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Hepatitis C Virus Core Protein Enhances Telomerase Activity in Huh7 Cells
- Creators
- Zhaowen Zhu - Department of Internal Medicine and Research Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Iowa City, Iowa, United StatesAnne T WILSON - Department of Internal Medicine and Research Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Iowa City, Iowa, United StatesKota GOPALAKRISHNA - Department of Internal Medicine of the Roy G. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United StatesKyle E BROWN - Department of Internal Medicine and Research Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Iowa City, Iowa, United StatesBruce A LUXON - Department of Internal Medicine of the Roy G. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United StatesWarren N SCHMIDT - Department of Internal Medicine and Research Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of medical virology, Vol.82(2), pp.239-248
- Publisher
- Wiley; Hoboken, NJ
- DOI
- 10.1002/jmv.21644
- PMID
- 20029802
- ISSN
- 0146-6615
- eISSN
- 1096-9071
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 2010
- Academic Unit
- Dermatology; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Radiation Oncology; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984047677202771
Metrics
13 Record Views