Effect of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)core and NS5A proteins in apoptosis of HeLa cells.

RIVERO, CW; MINASSIAN, ML; MATHET, VL; CUESTAS, ML; RUIZ, V; TRINKS, J; OUBIÑA, JR.

Rosario, Pcia. de Santa Fe

Congreso; XLII Reunión Anual de SAIB; 2006

Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Bioquímica y Biología Molecular

INTRODUCTION Both Core and NS5A HCV proteins play important roles in viral replication and pathogenesis. These proteins may also affect many cellular functions, including gene expression, signal transduction and apoptosis. OBJECTIVE to evaluate the effect of transiently expressed Core and NS5A proteins in Staurosporine-induced apoptosis of HeLa cells. METHODS HeLa cells were transiently transfected. Apoptosis was determined in Staurosporine (STR) treated and untreated cells by Anexina V and Hoechst staining. Bax, bcl-2 and telomerase mRNA levels were evaluated by multiplex RT-PCR. RESULTS Transient expression of either Core or NS5A HCV proteins was associated with a slight inducer effect on apoptosis of HeLa cells after 42 hs, but not after 30hs. There was an increase in apoptosis of STR-treated cells only when the viral proteins were expressed for 30hs and cell death quantitative analyses allowed discrimination between early and late apoptosis. No variations were detected in the mRNA levels of bax, bcl-2 and telomerase of transfected HeLa cells. Decrease of these mRNA levels induced by STR was not reverted by either viral proteins. CONCLUSIONS Both Core and NS5A proteins appear to accelerate STR-induced apoptosis in transiently transfected HeLa cells, without affecting bax, bcl-2 and telomerase mRNAs levels.