Schistosoma mansoni soluble egg antigens enhance HCV replication in mammalian cells

Mahmoud Mohamed Bahgat,Amany Sayed Maghraby,Mohamed Ahmed Ali,Hossam Eid Gewaid,Dina Nadeem Abd-Elshafy,Ahmed Atef Ibrahim,Mohamed Abd-Elhafez El-Far,Ahmed Atef Mesalam,Amany Abd-Elghany Ismaeil

doi:10.3855/jidc.522

Mahmoud Mohamed Bahgat, Amany Sayed Maghraby + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.522

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Abstract

This work demonstrates successful propagation of HCV in HepG2 and human blood cells as well as viral shedding into their culture media. The influence of Schistosoma mansoni crude soluble egg antigens (SEA) on the rate of viral propagation in both mammalian cells was also monitored. HepG2 cells were inoculated with HCV viremic human sera and some wells were exposed to HCV infection in presence of SEA. Cells were harvested for RT-PCR and Western blotting analysis. HepG2 media was collected for HCV ELISA. Blood samples from HCV-infected humans were cultured in the presence and absence of SEA. Media were collected at different time points post culturing and subjected to HCV ELISA. The ELISA concentration of HCV antigens were generally higher in media of infected HepG2 cells compared to media of control cells at all time intervals post infection. Western blots showed reactivity to immunogenic peptides of different molecular weights in lysate of infected HepG2 cells that were not evidenced in uninfected cells. In presence of SEA, RT-PCR results revealed earlier detection of viral RNA in infected HepG2 cells compared to in absence of such bilharzial antigen. Also, ELISA results revealed higher levels of detected HCV antigens in media of both infected HepG2 and blood cells cocultured with S. mansoni SEA compared to that of cultured infected cells in absence of the parasite antigens. HepG2 cells as well as whole blood cultures maintain HCV replication. Furthermore, SEA has the potential to enhance HCV propagation.

Highlights

Schistosomiasis is a chronic parasitic disease in tropical and subtropical regions and is associated with a variety of clinical syndromes that may lead to severe morbidity
Using anti-HCV-antibody positive sera, the recorded optical densities (OD) corresponding to the concentration of HCV antigens was generally higher in media of infected HepG2 cells compared to media of control cells at all time intervals post infection (Figure 1A)
Using anti-HCV-antibody positive sera, the recorded OD corresponding to the concentration of HCV antigens was generally higher in media of infected cells compared to media of control cells at all time intervals post infection

Summary

Introduction

Schistosomiasis is a chronic parasitic disease in tropical and subtropical regions and is associated with a variety of clinical syndromes that may lead to severe morbidity. This work demonstrates successful propagation of HCV in HepG2 and human blood cells as well as viral shedding into their culture media. Blood samples from HCV-infected humans were cultured in the presence and absence of SEA. Media were collected at different time points post culturing and subjected to HCV ELISA. Results: The ELISA concentration of HCV antigens were generally higher in media of infected HepG2 cells compared to media of control cells at all time intervals post infection. In presence of SEA, RT-PCR results revealed earlier detection of viral RNA in infected HepG2 cells compared to in absence of such bilharzial antigen. ELISA results revealed higher levels of detected HCV antigens in media of both infected HepG2 and blood cells cocultured with S. mansoni SEA compared to that of cultured infected cells in absence of the parasite antigens.

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