Abstract
AIM: To examine whether 2'-5'oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS) gene promoter can be specifically activated by hepatitis C virus (HCV)-core protein. METHODS: Human embryo hepatic cell line L02 was transfected with pcDNA3.1-core plasmid and selected by G418. Expression of HCV-core was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. The OAS promoter sequence was amplified from the genomic DNA and inserted into pGL3-basic vector. The resultant pGL3-OAS-Luci plasmid was transiently transfected into L02/core cells and luciferase activity was assayed. RESULTS: L02/core cell line stably expressing HCV-core protein was established. The pGL3-OAS-Luci construct exhibited significant transcriptional activity in the L02/core cells but not in the L02 cells. CONCLUSION: HCV-core protein activates the OAS gene promoter specifically and effectively. Utilization of OAS gene promoter would be an ideal strategy for developing HCV-specific gene therapy.