ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the inhibition effect of HCV NS5A on p53 protein transactivity and its possible mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Luciferase reporter gene system was used for the study of p53 transactivity on p21 promoter and electrophorectic mobility-shift assay (EMSA) was applied to observe whether HCV NS5A could suppress the binding ability of p53 protein to its specific DNA sequence.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Endogenous p53 protein could stimulate p21 promoter activity, and the relative luciferase activity increased significantly (3.49 x 10(5) vs 0.60 x 10(5), t = 5.92, P<0.01). Exogenous p53 protein also up-regulated p21 promoter driving luciferase expression, comparing to the control group (0.47 x 10(5)), the relative luciferase activity increased (5.63 x 10(5)) obviously (t = 10.12, P<0.01). HCV NS5A protein inhibited both endogenous and exogenous p53 transactivity on p21 promoter in a dose-dependent manner (F > or = 20.71, P<0.01). In the experiment of EMSA, p53 could bind to its specific DNA sequence, but when co-transfected with HCV NS5A expressing vector, the p53 binding affinity to its DNA decreased.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>HCV NS5A can inhibit p53 protein transactivity on p21 promoter through its inhibiting of p53 binding ability to the specific DNA sequence.</p>