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Farghaly et al. Hepatoma Res 2018;4:41 Hepatoma Research
DOI: 10.20517/2394-5079.2018.30

Original Article Open Access

Heat shock reduces HCV replication via regulation
of ribosomal L22 in Alu-RNA molecule dependent

manner

Hamada Farghaly, Adel A. Guirgis, Hany Khalil

Department of Molecular Biology, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, University of Sadat City, Sadat
City 79, Egypt.

Correspondence to: Dr. Hany Khalil, Department of Molecular Biology, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research
Institute, University of Sadat City, Sadat City 79, Egypt. E-mail: hkhalil74@gmail.com

How to cite this article: Farghaly H, Guirgis AA, Khalil H. Heat shock reduces HCV replication via regulation of ribosomal L22 in
Alu-RNA molecule dependent manner. Hepatoma Res 2018;4:41. http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2394-5079.2018.30

Received: 26 Mar 2018 First Decision: 10 May 2018 Revised: 29 Jun 2018 Accepted: 29 Jun 2018 Published: 7 Aug 2018

Science Editor: Guang-Wen Cao Copy Editor: Jun-Yao Li Production Editor: Cai-Hong Wang

Abstract
Aim: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a global health problem that affects more than 180 million people worldwide.
HCV is associated with several hepatic and other hepatic disorders including malignancies. HCV is a small enveloped
positive-single strand RNA virus that belongs to Hepacivirus in the family Flaviviridae. Here we aim to provide a new
therapeutic strategy via treatment of infected HepG2 cells with heat shock (HS).

Methods: The potential inhibitory effect of HS on HCV replication was assessed by the relative gene expression of NS5A
and its corresponding protein by flowcytometry which has been additionally used to monitor other cellular factors.

Results: HS treatment of infected HepG2 cells has the ability to disturb HCV replication possibly via stimulation of the
Alu non-coding element which inhibits gene expression of ribosomal L22. Ribosomal protein L22 (RPl22) is one of the
abundant RNA-binding proteins that are known to facilitate synthesis and translation of viral RNA and to participate in
balancing the protein components of the ribosome itself.

Conclusion: HS treatment of infected cells leads to up-regulation of long RNA-Alu molecule that regulates the expression
of RPL22 and subsequently reduces HCV replication in HepG2 cells.

Keywords: Hepatitis C virus, Alu non-coding gene, heat shock treatment

© The Author(s) 2018. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use,
sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, for any purpose, even commercially, as long
as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license,
and indicate if changes were made.

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