Review
Copyright ©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Mar 14, 2014; 20(10): 2624-2633
Published online Mar 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i10.2624
Hepatitis C virus, mitochondria and auto/mitophagy: Exploiting a host defense mechanism
Vitalba Ruggieri, Carmela Mazzoccoli, Valerio Pazienza, Angelo Andriulli, Nazzareno Capitanio, Claudia Piccoli
Vitalba Ruggieri, Carmela Mazzoccoli, Claudia Piccoli, Laboratory of Preclinical and Translational Research, IRCCS, Referral Cancer Center of Basilicata, 85028 Rionero in Vulture (PZ), Italy
Valerio Pazienza, Angelo Andriulli, Gastroenterology Unit, IRCCS, “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza” Hospital, 71013 Foggia, Italy
Nazzareno Capitanio, Claudia Piccoli, Department of Medical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy
Author contributions: All the authors contributed equally to this manuscript.
Correspondence to: Claudia Piccoli, PhD, Department of Medical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Via Napoli 25, 71122 Foggia, Italy. claudia.piccoli@unifg.it
Telephone: +39-881-711148 Fax: +39-881-711148
Received: September 26, 2013
Revised: November 6, 2013
Accepted: December 12, 2013
Published online: March 14, 2014
Processing time: 166 Days and 20.1 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Among the strategies that host cells have evolved in the hard fight for their survival against viruses, auto/mitophagy processes have an emerging role. As preferential targets of hepatitis C virus (HCV) attack, mitochondria effectively establish themselves as an integral part of the host cell defense and mitophagy, as very recently unveiled, seriously impacts the course of hepatitis C infection. Aim of this review is to explore the current literature about the mechanisms that regulate the critical interplay between HCV and mitochondria, with particular regard to the strategies that the virus evolved to subvert and manipulate the auto/mitophagy pathways to its purposes.