Hepatitis C virus core protein does not inhibit apoptosis in human hepatoma cells

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Abstract
Background: Viral persistence is a major problem after infection with the hepatitis C virus. Recently, it has been reported that hepatitis C virus core protein inhibits cis‐platin induced apoptosis in human cervical carcinoma cells and apoptosis induced by overexpression of c‐myc in Chinese hamster ovary cells.Materials and methods: This study investigated whether different variants of hepatitis C virus core or E2 protein interfere with tumour necrosis factor α or Fas (CD95/ APO‐1) antibody‐induced programmed cell death in transiently transfected human hepatoma (HepG2) cells.Results: While neither full length or C‐terminally truncated variants of hepatitis C virus core protein nor hepatitis C virus E2 protein inhibited tumour necrosis factor α‐ or Fas antibody‐induced apoptosis, a strong inhibition was observed with the cowpox virus cytokine response modifier A protein.Conclusions: Thus, it is unlikely that hepatitis C virus core or E2 protein inhibit apoptosis mediated by apoptosis‐signalling pathways sensitive to cytokine response modifier A protein. Discrepancies to previous reports probably reflect specific effects of hepatitis C virus core protein on different apoptotic pathways and/ or cell lines.