Hepatitis C virus core protein inhibits Fas- and tumor necrosis factor alpha-mediated apoptosis via NF-kappaB activation.

The effects of hepatitis C virus (HCV) proteins on anti-Fas (CD95/APO-1) antibody- and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha)-mediated apoptosis in different human cell lines were investigated by magnetic concentration of cells which transiently produced the exogenous protein. HepG2 cells, which produced whole HCV proteins, became resistant to anti-Fas-induced apoptotic cell death. Furthermore, the core protein among HCV proteins had a key role in protecting the various cells from apoptosis mediated by not only anti-Fas but also TNF-alpha. We also found that the core functioned in the activation of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) in all cells examined. Deletion analysis of the core revealed that the region required for NF-kappaB activation was closely correlated with that for its antiapoptotic function. In addition, we revealed in some cases that the antiapoptotic effect of the core was restrained by coproduction of the inhibitor of NF-kappaB, IkappaB-alpha protein. These results demonstrated that the core inhibits Fas- and TNF-alpha-mediated apoptotic cell death via a mechanism dependent on the activation of NF-kappaB in particular cell lines.