Fig 3.

Enhancement of CD55 expression in hepatocytes is mediated by HCV core protein. (A) Upregulation of CD55 mRNA expression in Huh7.5 cells transfected with HCV core protein or FL polyprotein compared with the level of expression in untreated control cells detected by real-time PCR. NS3/4A and NS5A did not affect CD55 expression. CD55 mRNA expression in untreated controls was arbitrarily set at 1, and the results were statistically significantly different (P < 0.0001) using one-way ANOVA. The experiments were done in triplicate and repeated three times. (B) Western blot analysis of lysates from Huh7.5 cells stably transfected with HCV core protein reveals upregulation of CD55. (C and D) Cell surface expression of membrane-bound CD55 on HCV core protein-transfected or vector-transfected Huh7.5 cells and IHH, as detected by flow cytometry.