Strand specific quantitative real-time PCR to study replication of hepatitis C virus genome

Qualitative detection of negative hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA has been used widely to demonstrate HCV replication. However, relative quantitation of both positive and negative HCV RNA strands has never been reported for studying viral genome replication. A strand specific real-time PCR carried out in the highly conserved 5'-non-coding region of HCV genome and monitored either by the DNA binding dye SYBR Green I or by molecular beacons is described. Using these techniques, it was found that negative HCV RNA strand was a 100-1000 times less abundant than the positive strand in the liver of HCV infected patients.     

Cell-based models of sustained, interferon-sensitive hepatitis C virus genotype 1 replication

We have previously reported hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication using a novel binary expression system in which mammalian cells were transfected with a T7 polymerase-driven full-length genotype 1a HCV cDNA plasmid (pT7-flHCV-Rz) and infected with vaccinia-T7 polymerase. We hypothesized that the use of replication-defective adenoviral vectors expressing T7 (Ad-T7pol) or cell lines stably transfected with T7 (Huh-T7) would alleviate cell toxicity and allow for more sustained HCV replication. CV-1, Huh7, and Huh-T7 cells were transfected with pT7-flHCV-Rz and treated with Ad-T7pol (CV-1 and Huh7 only). Protein and RNA were harvested from cells on days 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 9 post-infection. No cytotoxicity was observed at 9 days post-infection in any cell type. HCV positive- and negative-strand RNA expression were strongest during days 1-3 post-infection; however, HCV RNA remained detectable throughout the 9-day observation period. Furthermore, transfection with a replication-incompetent plasmid suggested that efficient HCV replication is dependent upon NS5B gene expression. Finally, after 1-2 days of IFN treatment, HCV positive-strand levels decreased significantly compared to HCV-infected but untreated samples (p<0.05). In conclusion, these refined binary systems offer more durable and authentic models for identification of host cellular processes critical to HCV replication and will permit longer-term analysis of virus-host interactions critical to HCV pathogenesis and the treatment of genotype 1 infections.     

丙型肝炎病毒Ⅱ型阳性PBMC永生化细胞株的生物学特性

目的 观察丙型肝炎病人外 因B细胞长期存活状态下其中是否仍有丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）存在,探讨建立HCV体外复制细胞模型的可能性, 方法 利用EB病毒转化B淋巴细胞技术,建立丙型肝炎患者外周血单个核细胞（PBMC）HCV阳性传代细胞株（LCL）,并应用细胞培养、染色体显示、流式细胞荧光染色、逆转录－聚合酶链反应（RT－PCR）、免疫组化、原位RT－PCR及电镜等技术研究其分子生物学和免疫学特性。结果 （1）LCL细胞核型47,XX,＋mar,细胞表面CD19、CD20抗原阳性,CD21分子消失。（2）传代培养细胞中HCV RNA正链持续12个月阳性,而培养上清中则呈间断性阳性,无明显规律。HCV RNA负链在LCL细胞中也呈间断阳性。HCV基因分型为Ⅱ型株。（3）免疫组化、原位PCR和电镜发现HCV抗原蛋白、HCV RNA和病毒颗粒均在于LCL细胞浆中;电镜发现HCV病毒颗料呈圆球型,双层膜结构,定位于细胞胸质空泡内,直径多为45－70nm,个别为110nm。结论 HCV可以在EB病毒转化病人B细胞株中长期存活、复制和分泌。     

Hepatitis C virus protein expression induces apoptosis in HepG2 cells

The mechanisms of hepatocyte death and the events that lead to a high rate of chronic liver disease in patients infected with hepatitis C virus are not known. We established a HCV replication system in HepG2 cell culture and utilized this model to address the effect of HCV proteins on HepG2 cell growth and viability. After transfection of HepG2 cells with full-length RNA, a truncated RNA, or an antisense RNA, cell proliferation and cell viability were analyzed by thymidine uptake and the trypan blue exclusion method, respectively. Full-length RNA transfected HepG2 cells showed a decrease in cell proliferation and viability compared to cells transfected with HCV truncated RNA and antisense RNA control. A subset of cells expressing HCV proteins underwent apoptosis as documented by morphological studies, ultrastructural analysis, cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry, terminal transferase enzyme mediated end labeling of DNA, and DNA laddering. This study suggests that expression of HCV proteins can lead to cell death by apoptosis, which may be an important event in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis C virus infection in humans.     

丙型肝炎病毒体外感染原代人胎肝细胞的研究

目的　研究丙型肝炎病毒 (HCV)体外细胞培养方法。方法　原代人胎肝细胞与HCV感染血清共孵育后 ,用逆转录 聚合酶链反应、原位杂交、免疫组化分别检测细胞和培养上清中的HCVRNA和HCV抗原表达。结果　从感染血清和细胞共同孵育后的 2～ 2 5d ,细胞内和 /或培养上清中可间断检出HCV正、负链RNA ;HCVNS3抗原在细胞内能稳定表达 ;原位杂交显示HCV负链RNA阳性物质多位于细胞浆。结论　原代人胎肝细胞对HCV易感 ,可用作HCV体外感染和复制的靶细胞     

Hepatitis C virus infects T cells and affects interferon-gamma signaling in T cell lines

It has been reported that hepatitis C virus (HCV) may infect and replicate in human T cells, particularly in perihepatic lymph nodes, but the extent and consequence of T-cell infection in patients is unclear. This study is conducted to characterize the parameters and functional consequences of HCV infection in T lymphocytes. By using a lymphotropic HCV strain, we showed that HCV could infect T cell lines (Molt-4 and Jurkat cells) in vitro. Both positive- and negative-strand HCV RNA were detected for several weeks after infection. Viral proteins could also be detected by immunofluorescence studies. Moreover, infectious HCV particles were produced from Molt-4 cell cultures, and could be used to infect na?ve T cell lines. HCV could also infect human primary CD4+ T cells, particularly na?ve (CD45RA+CD45RO-) CD4+ cells, in culture. The amounts of STAT-1 and phosphorylated STAT-1 proteins in the infected Molt-4 cells were significantly less than those in uninfected cultures, suggesting the possibility of defect in interferon-gamma signaling. Indeed, T-bet and STAT-1 mRNA levels after interferon-gamma stimulation in infected Molt-4 were suppressed. In conclusion, HCV could infect and transiently replicate in T cells and that HCV replication suppressed the IFN-gamma/STAT-1/T-bet signaling due to the reduction of STAT-1 and inhibition of its activation (phosphorylation).     

Cell culture-adaptive mutations in the NS5B gene of hepatitis C virus with delayed replication and reduced cytotoxicity

Remarkable advances have been made through recent demonstrations of hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication in cultured cells transfected with in vitro synthesized viral genome RNA. From the HCV JFH1 (genotype 2a) subcultured successively in Huh-7 cells we have identified several missense mutations near the junction of NS5A and NS5B genes. Reverse genetic analysis indicated that two mutations in the N-terminal region of NS5B replicase caused delayed viral RNA replication and protein expression in the early stage of infection. However, the mutant viruses showed significantly alleviated effects on cell growth inhibition, proteolysis of viral proteins, apoptotic DNA cleavage, and induction of antiviral responses, giving rise to a 100-fold higher titer compared to the parental JFH1 virus in a more extended time period. These results suggested that delayed replication and reduced cytotoxicity can be characteristic features of cell culture-adaptive mutants with enhanced infectivity.     

Hepatitis C virus is frequently coinfected with serum marker-negative hepatitis B virus: Probable replication promotion of the former by the latter as demonstrated by in vitro cotransfection

Patients with hepatitis C have been reported occasionally to be coinfected with serum marker-negative (silent) hepatitis B virus (HBV). The frequency and significance of such coinfection were investigated. Thirty patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections (10 acute, 10 chronic, 10 cirrhotic) were selected randomly; the acute cases were without serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-hepatitis B core IgM, and the chronic cases were without HBsAg. A nested polymerase chain reaction for the X open reading frame was used to amplify HBV DNA in serum, and immunoperoxidase staining was carried out on liver biopsy specimens. Nucleotide sequencing was carried out to characterize the amplified HBV DNAs. In order to clarify the possibility that the silent HBV mutant promotes HCV replication in the liver, the full-length HCV RNA and the cloned silent HBV DNA dimer were cotransfected into an established cell line, HuH-7, and the amount of secreted HCV RNA was quantified serially. The target HBV DNA was amplified in 26 (86.7%) of the 30 patients. Subsequent direct nucleotide sequencing in 9 selected patients revealed an 8-nucleotide deletion, characteristic of a silent HBV mutant. Immunostaining revealed hepatitis B surface antigen in 15 (50.0%). Cotransfected silent HBV DNA augmented the secretion of HCV RNA by up to 5-fold in comparison with HCV RNA transfection alone. In conclusion, HCV is coinfected frequently with the silent HBV mutant and the latter probably promotes the replication of the former in the liver. J. Med. Virol. 52:399–405, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Up-regulation of hepatitis C virus replication by human T cell leukemia virus type I-encoded Tax protein

Co-infection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) with other blood-borne pathogens such as human T cell leukemia virus (HTLV) is common in highly endemic areas. Clinical evidence showing a correlation between HTLV-I co-infection and rapid progression of HCV-associated liver disease promoted us to investigate the effect of HTLV-I-encoded Tax protein on HCV replication. Reporter assay showed that HCV replicon-encoded luciferase expression was significantly augmented by co-transfection of the Tax-expressing plasmid. Further, HCV RNA replication in replicon cells was increased either by co-culture with cells stably expressing Tax protein (Huhtax) or by culture in the presence of Huhtax-conditioned medium, indicating that Tax could also modulate HCV replication of adjacent cells in a paracrine manner. Additionally, HCV replication in Huhtax exhibited a reduced responsiveness to interferon-alpha-induced antiviral activity. This study demonstrates the facilitation of HCV replication by Tax protein, which may partially account for severer clinical consequences of HCV-related disease in HCV/HTLV co-infected individuals.     

Immunohistochemical,molecular, and pathomorphological study of liver biopsy specimens during chronic hepatitis C

We carried out a comparative study of replication markers of hepatitis C virus (HCV RNA) in some biological substrates and NS3-antigen in liver biopsy specimens. It was found that 82% liver specimens contained RNA HCV, in 44% cases HCV RNA was present in the serum, mononuclear blood cells, and liver. The presence of NS3-antigen in hepatocytes can be considered as a structural marker of HCV replication, which is confirmed by positive correlation with the results of PCR for viral RNA in tissue specimens. In most cases the presence of HCV replication markers did not correlate with activity of the infectious process assessed by biochemical and histological tests.     

丙型肝炎病毒阳性血清体外感染人肝细胞的研究

目的 研究丙型肝炎病毒(HCV)抗体(Ab)阴性,HCV-RNA阳性血清建立体外感染肝细胞模型.方法 HCV Ab阴性,HCV-RNA阳性的窗口期血清与人肝细胞共同培养,用反转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)、免疫荧光染色、Western blot、共聚焦显微镜和透射电镜等方法检测细胞内HCV核酸复制、蛋白质表达及超微结构改变.结果 细胞与病毒共同培养7～45 d,细胞内和/或培养上清中可间断检出HCV正、负链RNA;细胞浆内有HCV 核心和NS3抗原的表达;细胞超微结构有改变,并于感染后第24天时观察到类似病毒样颗粒.结论 窗口期血清中的HCV能在人肝细胞7701中复制一段时间.     

Activation of Vgamma9Vdelta2 T cells by non-peptidic antigens induces the inhibition of subgenomic HCV replication

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has evolved complex strategies to evade host immune responses and establish chronic infection. Since human Vgamma9Vdelta2 T lymphocytes play a critical role in the immune response against viruses, we analyzed their antiviral functions on Huh7 hepatoma cells carrying the subgenomic HCV replicon (Rep60 cells). In a transwell culture system, Rep60 cells were co-cultured with either PBMCs or highly purified gammadelta T cells stimulated by non-peptidic antigens. Vgamma9Vdelta2 T cell activation was associated with a dramatic reduction of HCV RNA levels. Neutralizing antibodies targeting IFN-gamma revealed a critical role for this cytokine in the inhibition of HCV replication. Interestingly, drugs already in clinical use, such as Phosphostim and Zoledronate, known to activate gammadelta T cells, were shown to induce the inhibition of HCV replication mediated by Vgamma9Vdelta2 T cells of HCV patients. Our data suggest that the therapeutic activation of Vgamma9Vdelta2 T lymphocytes may represent an additional strategy to inhibit HCV replication and to restore a Th1-oriented immune response in HCV-infected patients.     

Mutations in NS5B polymerase of hepatitis C virus: impacts on in vitro enzymatic activity and viral RNA replication in the subgenomic replicon cell culture

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural protein 5B (NS5B) is an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) essential for virus replication. Several consensus sequence motifs have been identified in NS5B, some of which have been shown to be critical for its enzymatic activity. A unique beta-hairpin structure located between amino acids 443 and 454 in the thumb subdomain has also been shown to play an important role in ensuring terminal initiation of RNA synthesis in vitro. However, the importance of these sequence and structural elements in viral RNA replication in infected cells has not been established, mainly due to the lack of a reliable cell culture system for HCV. In this study, we investigated the effect of several single amino acid substitutions and beta-hairpin truncations in NS5B on viral RNA replication by using the subgenomic replicon cell culture system. A strong correlation between in vitro polymerase activity and viral RNA replication was observed with most of the substitutions. Interestingly, truncations of the beta-hairpin (by four and eight amino acid residues, respectively), which did not reduce the in vitro enzymatic activity, completely abolished the ability of the replicon RNA to replicate in Huh-7 cells, demonstrating its essential role in viral RNA replication. Furthermore, a conservative substitution in motif D, from an arginine residue (AMTR(345)), which is conserved among all HCV isolates, to a lysine residue, resulted in significant improvements in both transient RNA replication and colony formation efficiencies. This result also correlates with a previous observation that the enzymatic activity of NS5B increased by about 50% when the same NS5B substitution was introduced (V. Lohmann, F. Korner, U. Herian, and R. Bartenschlager, J. Virol. 1997, 71, 8416-8428).