Single amino acid mutation of SR-BI decreases infectivity of hepatitis C virus derived from cell culture in a cell culture model

AIM To investigate the effect of a single amino acid mutation in human class B scavenger receptor I(SR-BI) on the infectivity of cell culture-derived hepatitis C virus(HCVcc) in SR-BI knock-down Huh7-si SR-BI cells.METHODS Site-directed mutagenesis was used to construct the SR-BI S112 F mutation,and the mutation was confirmed by nucleotide sequencing. SR-BI knock-down Huh7-si SR-BI cells were transfected with SR-BI S112 F,SR-BI wild type(WT) and control plasmids,and then infected with HCVpp(HCV pseudoparticles) and hepatitis C virus derived from cell culture(HCVcc). A fluorescence assay was performed to analyze the effect of the S112 F mutation on HCV entry; quantitative real-time PCR,immunofluorescence,and Western blot assays were used to analyze the effect of the S112 F mutation on HCV infectivity. CHO cells expressing WT and SRBI S112 F were incubated with the HCV E2 protein expressed in HEK 293 T cells,and flow cytometry was performed to examine the ability of SR-BI S112 F to bind to the HCV E2 protein. Huh7-si SR-BI cells were transfected with SR-BI WT and the S112 F mutant,andthen Di I-HDL was added and images captured under the microscope to assess the ability of SR-BI S112 F to take up HDL.RESULTS The SR-BI S112 F mutation was successfully constructed. The S112 F mutation decreased the expression of the SR-BI m RNA and protein. SR-BI S112 F decreased HCV entry and HCVcc infectivity in Huh7-si SR-BI cells. The S112 F mutation impaired the binding of SR-BI to HCV E2 protein and decreased the HDL uptake of SR-BI.CONCLUSION The S112 F single amino acid mutation in SR-BI decreased the levels of the SR-BI m RNA and protein,as well as the ability of SR-BI to bind to the HCV E2 protein. Amino acid 112 in SR-BI plays important roles in HCV entry and the infectivity of HCVcc in vitro.