MicroRNA-185-5p mediates regulation of SREBP2 expression by hepatitis C virus core protein

Figure 1 Hepatitis C virus core protein upregulates expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein 2 and intracellular total cholesterol levels in HepG2 cells. A: HCV genotype 1b core protein was transfected into HepG2 cells and determined by Western blot 48 h after transfection; B: Intracellular TC levels were determined at 72 h after core protein transfection (n = 3, ^bP < 0.01); C: HCV core protein or a control vector was transfected into HepG2 cells. At 24 h after transfection, total RNA was isolated. Then quantitative PCR was performed to determine the relative mRNA levels of SREBP2 and HMGCR. β-actin was used as the internal control (n = 6, ^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01 core vs control); D: HCV core protein or a control vector was transfected to HepG2 cells and SREBP2 and HMGCR expressions were analyzed by Western blot after 48 h; E: The -933 to +263 region of human SREBP2 promoter was amplified using genomic DNA isolated from HepG2 cells as template and cloned into pGL4.10 empty vector, named as SREBP2-P. The luciferase activity of SREBP2-P was determined 24 h after transfection with/without core protein expression (n = 3, ^bP < 0.01 core vs control). HCV: Hepatitis C virus; SREBP2: Sterol regulatory element binding protein 2; TC: Total cholesterol.