Hepatitis C virus core protein-induced miR-93-5p up-regulation inhibits interferon signaling pathway by targeting IFNAR1

Figure 3 Hepatitis C virus-1b core protein increases miR-93-5p expression and inactivates the interferon signaling pathway. A: HCV core protein is enforcedly expressed in Huh7 cells using pcDNA3.1 (+) vector. Western blot shows HCV core protein expression. This experiment was repeated twice; B: Bar shows miR-122 expression in Huh7 cells transfected with pcDNA 3.1 (+) empty vector or HCV core-pcDNA3.1 (+) vector. U6 was used as an internal reference. This experiment was repeated three times. C: Bar shows miR-93-5p expression in Huh7 cells transfected with pcDNA 3.1 (+) empty vector or HCV core-pcDNA3.1 (+) vector. U6 was used as an internal reference. This experiment was repeated three times. D and E: Western blot shows the protein expression of IFNAR1 and STAT1, as well as the phosphorylation level of STAT1 in Huh7 cells which were transfected with pcDNA 3.1 (+) empty vector or HCV core-pcDNA3.1 (+) vector. This experiment was repeated twice. HCV: Hepatitis C virus; IFNAR1: Interferon receptor 1.