Anti-minicore HCV Antibody, clone Neo4 clone Neo4, from mouse

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a small (~55 65 nm) in size), enveloped, positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus that is a causative factor for hepatitis C and hepatocellular carcinoma. HCV expresses several proteins that promote viral replication. Genome polyprotein of HCV is a core protein that packages viral RNA to form a viral nucleocapsid, and promotes virion budding. It also modulates viral translation initiation by interacting with HCV IRES and 40S ribosomal subunit. It prevents the establishment of cellular antiviral state by blocking the interferon-alpha/beta (IFN-alpha/beta) and IFN-gamma signaling pathways and by inducing human STAT1 degradation. Envelope (E1 and E2) glycoproteins of HCV form a heterodimer, which is involved in virus attachment to the host cell, virion internalization through clathrin-dependent endocytosis and fusion with host membrane. P7 protein, a heptameric ion channel protein, is essential for infectivity. HCV also contains NS2-3, which acts as a cysteine protease responsible for the autocatalytic cleavage of NS2-NS3. It undergoes self-inactivation following maturation. NS3 protein of HCV displays serine protease, NTPase, and RNA helicase activities. NS4B protein is shown to induce a specific membrane alteration that serves as a scaffold for the virus replication complex. NS5A protein is a component of the replication complex and is involved in RNA-binding. It is reported to mediate interferon resistance by interacting with and inhibiting human EIF2AK2/PKR. HCV also expresses a family of small proteins that are derived from the core gene and are known as minocores. These minicores lack the N-terminus, but contain the C-terminal portion of the mature p21 core protein. They are associated with higher risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, insulin resistance, and failure of interferon-based therapy.