Subgenomic HCV RNA replication and its localization in the nucleus of the infected cells.

Cell culture systems have been established, where a hepatitis C virus (HCV) subgenomic replicon was efficiently replicated and maintained for a long period. It is known that HCV contains proteins which interact with host cell proteins. To see whether a HCV RNA replicon can interact in the same way with host cell proteins, HCV RNA replicon was transfected in Huh7 cells. In most infected cells, HCV replicon is present in the cytoplasm; however, in a minority of HCV-infected cells, both the cytoplasm and the nucleus or the nucleus on its own is positive for NS3. The presence of NS3 in the nuclei of Huh7 cells indicates that the protein may play a role other than in virus replication, such as in persistence of HCV infection.