Induction of C/EBPb-Thr266 Phosphorylation by HCV Infection is Indispensable for the Zone-3 Phenotype and Proliferation in Cultured Human Hepatocytes

Abstract

Liver acinar zonation allows for diverse functions to be performed on demand by specialized hepatocytes. Therefore, understanding how hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may modulate the acinar zone phenotypes should provide insights into the pathophysiology of HCV infection. We assessed the effects HCV infection in the highlydifferentiated primary human hepatocyte culture that we have developed for the efficient replication of intact HCV virions. We found that HCV genotype 1 infection stimulated the zone-3 phenotype after 72 hr since the cultured hepatocytes expressed GS, β-Catenin and HIF-1α , markers of zone-3 hepatocytes. HCV infection also induced phosphorylated-C/EBPβ-Thr266 and proliferation in these cultured hepatocytes. A peptide designed to selectively inhibit phosphorylation of C/EBPβ-Thr266 blocked this phosphorylation, the zone-3 phenotype and hepatocyte proliferation induced by HCV infection in these cultured human hepatocytes. In addition, we found that in normal, uninfected human hepatocytes, unphosphorylated-C/EBPβ-Thr266 was associated with protein von Hippel Lindau (pVHL) and Axin (inhibitors of HIF-1α and β-catenin activation, respectively). These associations were blocked by the HCV infection since phosphorylated C/EBPβ-Thr266 was not associated with either pVHL or Axin. The inhibition of C/EBPβ-Thr266 phosphorylation normalized the association of unphosphorylatable C/EBPβ-Thr266 with pVHL and Axin, which is expected to inhibit the activation of HIF-1α and β−catenin. Collectively, these results strongly suggest that C/EBPβ-Thr266 phosphorylation is indispensable for the activation of GS, HIF-1α and β-catenin, and the induction of zone-3 phenotype in HCV-infected human hepatocytes.