Hepatitis C virus core protein: an update on its molecular biology, cellular functions and clinical implications.

Hepatitis C Virus and Vaccine Development

The prevalence of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is approximately 3% around the world. This virus causes chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The effectiveness of interferon-α and ribavirin therapy is about 50% and is associated with significant toxicity and cost. Hence, generating new vaccines or drugs is an obligation. However, there is no vaccine available for clinical u...

CpG Motif as an Adjuvant in Immunization of a Recombinant Plasmid Encoding Hepatitis C Virus Core Protein

The Relationship between Hepatitis C Genotypes and Viral Load: a study on hepatitis C patients in Kerman, Iran using Real-time PCR

Abstract Background: Distribution of hepatitis C virus genotypes varies geographically and can be associated with clinical aspects. The virus has six major genotypes and eleven sub-genotypes. According to the recent studies, in hepatitis C patients, treatment duration and ribavirin dosage should be determined based on the type of virus genotype. Be...

Overexpression of Full-Length Core Protein of Hepatitis C Virus by Escherichia coli Cultivated in Stirred Tank Fermentor

The mature core protein of the Hepatitis C virus (HCVC173) carrying pelB as a signal peptide (PelB::core) was overexpressed in Escherichia coli as 18% and 23.3% of the host’s total protein, in flask and fermentor cultivation, respectively. A final specific yield of 25 ± 1 mg HCVC173/g dry cell weight and an overallproductivity of 51±1 mg HCVC173/l/h were obtained in the stirred-tank ferme...

Enhanced Immune Responses of a Hepatitis C Virus core DNA Vaccine by co-Inoculating Interleukin-12 Expressing Vector in Mice

Background: Hepatitis C (HCV) is a worldwide problem without an effective vaccine with more than 170 million chronically infected people worldwide. DNA vaccines expressing antigenic portions of the virus with adjutants have recently been developed as a novel vaccination technology. Objectives: In the present study, a DNA vaccine expressing HCV core protein was developed with IL12 as a genetic a...