• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.90-96
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• 1999

The core protein of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a multifunctional protein. The HCV core protein was reported to regulate cellular gene expression and transform primary rat embryo fibroblast cells. However, the role of the core protein in the pathogenesis of HCV-associated liver diseases is not well understood. To investigate the functional role of the core protein in cytophathogenicity, we have constructed stable expression systems of full length or truncated HCV core protein lacking the C-terminal hyderophobic domains and established HepG2 cell clones constitutively expressing the core protein. The full length core protein was localized in the cytoplasm and the C-terminal truncated core protein was localized in the nucleus. HepG2 cells expressing nuclear, truncated core protein showed elevated cell death during cultivation compared to untransfected cells and full length core-expressing cells. In the treatment with bleomycin, both cell clones expressing full length or truncated core protein appeared to be more sensitive to blemoycin than the parental HepG2 cells. These results suggest that the core protein may play a role in HCV pathogenesis promoting apoptotic cell death of infected cells.

• BMB Reports
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.281-286
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• 1998

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) core proteins from two different isolates (HCV-1 and HCV-RH) were expressed in Spotioptera Jrugiperda (Sf9) insect cells. The RH core consisted of two major species of proteins (21 kDa and 19 kDa). On the other hand, the HCV-1 core was approximately 16 kDa in a SDS-PAGE gel. Both core proteins were phosphorylated in vivo on serine residues. Furthermore, the RH core but not HCV-1 core formed dimers, indicating that the protein conformation of the core in these two isolates is dfferent from one another. Immunofluorescence studies showed that the RH core was present in the cytoplasm, whereas the HCV-1 core was localized predominantly to the nucleus in recombinant baculovirus-infected insect cells. Since the major difference between the two isolates is the codon 9 of the core protein, a single amino acid substitution appears to play a major role in the protein conformation and these properties may reflect the different biological functions of core proteins in HCV-infected cells.

• BMB Reports
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.192-198
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• 2004

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein is believed to be one of viral proteins that are capable of preventing virus-infected cell death upon various stimuli. But, the effect of the HCV core protein on apoptosis that is induced by various stimuli is contradictory. We examined the possibility that the HCV core protein affects the ceramide-induced cell death in cells expressing the HCV core protein through the sphingomyelin pathway. Cell death that is induced by $C^2$-ceramide and bacterial sphingomyelinase was analyzed in 293 cells that constitutively expressed the HCV core protein and compared with 293 cells that were stably transfected only with the expression vector. The HCV core protein inhibited the cell death that was induced by these reagents. The protective effects of the HCV core protein on ceramide-induced cell death were reflected by the reduced expression of $p21^{WAF1/Cip1/Sid1}$ and the sustained expression of the Bcl-2 protein in the HCV core-expressing cells with respect to the vector-transfected cells. These results suggest that the HCV core protein in 293 cells plays a role in the modulation of the apoptotic response that is induced by ceramide. Also, the ability of the HCV core protein to suppress apoptosis might have important implications in understanding the pathogenesis of the HCV infection.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제6권1호
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• pp.20-26
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• 2006

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and systemic inflammatory disease that is characterized by invasive synovial hyperplasia, leading to progressive joint destruction. Recent studies have described that RA is caused by virus, bacteria or outside material. Approximately 2 to 20% of RA cases arc reported to be associated with infected hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, the mechanisms underlying virus-induced RA are still unknown. Moreover, few molecular studies have addressed the inflammatory aspects of HCV-associated autoimmune RA. In this study, we aimed to determine whe ther or not another HCV core protein transactivates the IL-8 gene expression, prototypic chemokine, in synovial cell. Methods: To establish the HCV core expressing stable synovial cell line, pCI-neo-core, a plasmid encoding HCV core protein, were transfected to HIG-82 cell line that is an established cell line from rabbit periaricular soft tissue. We examined the morphological changes and cell cycle distribution of HIG-82 cells with expression of HCV core protein by inverted microscopy and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. Also, we determined the mRNA levels of Interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 related to the inflammation by RT-PCR and then analyzed regulation of IL-8 expression by the NF-${\kappa}B$ pathway. Results: Our study showed no significant differences in morphology and cell cycle between HIG-82 control cell line and HIG-82 expressing HCV core protein. However, expression of HCV core protein induces the IL-8 mRNA expression in HIG-82 core cells via activated NF-${\kappa}B$ pathway. Conclusion: These results suggest that HCV core protein can lead to enhanced IL-8 expression. Such a proinflammatory role may contribute to the etiologic pathogenesis in RA patients with HCV infection.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제28권9호
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• pp.1007-1015
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• 2018

E6AP (E6-associated protein)는 C형 간염바이러스(hepatitis C virus, HCV)의 코어 단백질 유비퀴틴화와 프로테오좀 분해를 유도하여 캡시드 조립을 저해함으로써 HCV 복제를 억제하는 것으로 알려져 있다. 반면에 HCV 코어 단백질은 숙주의 항바이러스 방어계에 대항하고 자신의 유비퀴틴-의존적 프로테아좀 분해를 막기 위하여 DNA 메틸화를 통하여 E6AP 발현을 저해하는 전략을 진화과정에서 획득하였다. 본 연구에서는 HCV 코어 단백질이 E6AP 발현을 저해하는 기전을 밝혀내고자 하였다. HCV 코어 단백질은 HepG2 세포에서 DNA 메틸화 효소들인 DNMT1, 3a 및 3b의 단백질 수준과 효소 활성을 증가시켜 프로모터 과메틸화를 통하여 E6AP 발현을 저해하였지만 p53를 발현하지 않는 Hep3B 세포에서는 이러한 효과들이 관찰되지 않았다. 흥미롭게도 Hep3B 세포에 p53만 과발현시키면 HCV 코어 단백질이 없더라도 DNMT가 활성화되고 프로모터 과메틸화를 통하여 E6AP 발현이 저해되었다. 또한 p53 녹다운 및 과발현 실험을 통하여 p53 활성화가 HCV 코어 단백질의 효과에 필수적임을 알 수 있었다. 이로 인하여 Hep3B 보다 HepG2 세포에서 낮은 수준의 유비퀴틴화된 HCV 코어 단백질이 검출되었다. 따라서 HCV 코어 단백질은 p53-의존적으로 자신의 유비퀴틴-매개성 프로테아좀 분해를 저해한다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제12권5호
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• pp.807-812
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• 2002

In order to analyze the cellular proteins which interact with core protein of hepatitis C virus (HCV), a yeast two-hybrid screening technique was employed. A carboxyl terminus truncated core protein, which contained amino acid residues from the 1st to 120th, was used as a bait to screen cellular proteins. The expression library prepared from HeLa cell was screened and 400 positive clones were selected. The 75 clones from the positive clones were sequenced and analyzed by undergoing the Blast search. Interestingly, 7 out of the 75 clones encoded E7 antigen of human papilloma virus (HPV). We studied in detail the Interaction between the truncated version of HCV core and E7 antigen in vitro. The core$_{120}$ protein expressed in chimeric form with G57 was able to bring down the E7 protein of HPV type 18 expressed in bacteria. It is therefore suggested that the core of HCV might affect the interaction between E7 and a normal cellular tumor suppressor, known as Rb protein.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.151-155
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• 2009

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has genetic diversity like most of RNA viruses. HCV major genotypes are classified into several subtypes which are further divided into quasispecies having, genetically different but closely related variants. The HCV core that is a nucleocapsid protein located at the amino terminus of the viral polyprotein is relatively a conserved protein among the HCV isolates and thus it has been one of plausible targets for anti-HCV drug development. However, different quasispecies of HCV core gene have also been found. In this study, we compared the expression level of core protein between two different quasispecies of HCV genotype 1b. Our data demonstrate that a little differences of amino acid sequence lead to substantial difference of expression level. It might be another important reason of different pathogenesis among HCV infected patients.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제13권5호
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• pp.551-558
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• 2003

C형 간염바이러스는 간암을 야기하는 심각한 바이러스이다. C형 간염바이러스의 core 단백질의 과발현은 섬유아세포를 암화시키는 것으로 알려져 있다. Phospholipase D (PLD)의 효소활성이 세포증식 신호전달에 의해 활성화되어 있으며, 사람의 암조직에서 과발현 및 활성이 증가되어 있는 것으로 알려져 있다. 본 연구의 목적은, core 단백질에 의해 암화된 세포에서 PLD가 어떻게 조절되는지를 이해하고자 하는 것이다. 자극이 없는 상태에서뿐만 아니라 PMA에 의해 유도되는 PLD효소활성은, 암화된 세포에서 더 증가하였으며, control 세포와 core 단백질에 의해 암화된 세포에서 PLD와 PKC 단백질의 발현은 서로 유사하였다. PKC 특이적인 억제제와 PKC의 세포막으로의 이동에 관한 실험을 통해서, PKC-d가 암화된 세포에서 PMA에 의해 유도되는 PLD활성의 증가에 중요하게 관여하고 있음을 밝혔다. 이러한 결과는, PLD가 core 단백질에 의해 유도되는 세포의 암화과정에 관여하고 있을 것으로 추정된다.

• 한국고분자학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국고분자학회 2006년도 IUPAC International Symposium on Advanced Polymers for Emerging Technologies
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• pp.180-180
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• 2006

A novel preparation method for core/shell nanoparticles with protein drug-loaded lipid core was designed and characterized. The lipid core is composed of lecithin and protein drug and the polymeric shell is composed of Pluronics (poly (ethylene oxide)-poly (propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymer, F-127 For the application of core/shell nanoparticles as a protein drug carrier, lysozyme and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) were loaded into the core/shell nanoparticles by electrostatic interaction and the drug release pattern was observed by manipulating the polymeric shell.

• BMB Reports
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• 제37권6호
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• pp.735-740
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• 2004

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a causal agent of the chronic liver infection. To understand HCV morphogenesis, we studied the assembly of HCV structural proteins in insect cells. We constructed recombinant baculovirus expression vectors consisting of either HCV core alone, core-E1, or core-E1-E2. These structural proteins were expressed in insect cells and were examined to assemble into particles. Neither core-E1 nor core-E1-E2 was capable of assembling into virus-like particles (VLPs). It was surprising that the core protein alone was assembled into core-like particles. These particles were released into the culture medium as early as 2 days after infection. In our system, HCV structural proteins including envelope proteins did not assemble into VLPs. Instead, the core protein itself has the intrinsic capacity to assemble into amorphous core-like particles. Furthermore, released core particles were associated with HCV RNA, indicating that core proteins were assembled into nucleocapsids. These results suggest that HCV may utilize a unique core release mechanism to evade the hosts defense mechanism, thus contributing to the persistence of HCV infection.