The influence of HCV core protein on cell apoptosis,cell cycles and cell telomerase activities of HepG2 cells / 中华传染病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the influence of HCV core protein on cell apoptosis, cell cycles and cell telomerase activities of HepG2 cells. Methods A eukaryotic expression plasmid containing HCV C gene was constructed by DNA recombinant technique and the recombinant plasmid was transfected into HepG2. Thereafter, HepG2 cells transfected with recombinant eukaryotic expression plasmid were obtained. The HCV C mRNA and protein in HepG2 cells transfected with recombinant plasmid were verified by RT PCR and indirect immunofluorescence assay. The HepG2 cells were studied as follows (1) The cell proliferation ratio of three groups cells(HepG2 cells transfected with the recombinant plasmid, HepG2 cells transfected with blank plasmid and HepG2 cells without transfection) was evaluated by MTT assay; the cell cycles were also examined by FACS. (2) The apoptotic ratio of three groups cells were examined by FACS. (3) The cell telomerase activities of all three group cells were examined by TRAP ELISA assay. Results (1) The cell proliferation ratio in the group of HepG2 cells transfected with recombinant plasmid was higher than that of the group of HepG2 cells transfected with blank plasmid or the group of HepG2 cells without transfection; The proportion of phase S in the group of HepG2 transfected with the recombinant plasmid was significantly higher than that of the group of HepG2 without transfection. (2) The apoptotic ratio in the group of HepG2 cells transfected with recombinant plasmid was significantly lower than that of the group of HepG2 cells transfected with blank plasmid or the group of HepG2 cells without transfection. (3) There were no significant differences among the three group cell telomerase activities. Conclusions (1) HCV C protein had the potential role in inhibiting cell apoptosis. (2)HCV C protein could induce HepG2 cells from phase G 0/1 to phase S, and might promote cell proliferation, inhibit cell apoptosis. (3) HCV C protein had no influence on cell telomerase activities of HepG2 cells, thus HCV C protein regulated cell cycle, promoted cell proliferation and inhibited cell apoptosis not by enhancing cell telomerase activities.