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HCV is a small 50nm, enveloped, single-stranded, positive sense RNA virus in the family Flaviviridae.
HCV has a high rate of replication with approximately one trillion particles produced each day in an infected individual. Due to lack of proofreading by the HCV RNA polymerase, the HCV has an exceptionally high mutation rate, a factor that may help it elude the host's immune response. Hepatitis C virus is classified into six genotypes(1-6) with several subtypes within each genotype. The preponderance and distribution of HCV genotypes varies globally. Genotype is clinically important in determining potential response to interferon-based therapy and the required duration of such therapy. Genotypes 1 and 4 are less responsive to interferon-based treatment than are the other genotypes (2, 3, 5 and 6).

Sorting nexin-5 (SNX5) belongs to the sorting nexin family, whose members contains a phox (PX) domain, (which is a phosphoinositide binding domain) and are involved in intracellular trafficking. SNX5 protein is a component of the mammalian retromer complex, which facilitates cargo recovery from endosomes to the trans-Golgi network. SNX5 binds to the Fanconi anemia, complementation group A protein.

BAG3 Inhibits the chaperone activity of HSP70/HSC70 by promoting substrate release. BAG3 has anti-apoptotic activity. BAG proteins participate with Hip for their binding to Hsc70/Hsp70 ATPase domain and encourage substrate release. BAG proteins have about 45 amino acid BAG domain close to the C terminus however they differ noticeably in their N-terminal regions. BAG3 includes a WW domain in the N-terminal region and a BAG domain in the C-terminal region. The BAG domains of BAG1, BAG2, and BAG3 interact particularly with the Hsc70 ATPase domain in vitro and in mammalian cells. They bind with high affinity to the ATPase domain of Hsc70 and inhibit its chaperone activity in a Hip-repressible manner. BAG3 plays a role as a protein-refolding cochaperone of the bcl2 binding protein BAG family and as upregulated in response to persistent stress of cellular calcium balance dysregulation. BAG3 has been shown to diminish stress-induced apoptosis.

CBFB beta subunit is a heterodimeric core-binding transcription factor that is part of the PEBP2/CBF transcription factor family which controls a host of genes particulary to hematopoiesis and osteogenesis. CBFB is a non-DNA binding regulatory subunit which increases DNA binding by alpha subunit.

LRRC59 controls nuclear import of exogenous FGF1 by enabling interaction with the nuclear import mechanism and by transporting cytosolic FGF1 to and through the nuclear pores. LRRC59 is essential for nuclear import of FGF1, but not that of FGF2.

RBP5 is a member of the Retinol-binding proteins family. Estimation of retinol-binding protein is used to determine visceral protein mass in nutritional studies related to health. RBP5 has a higher expression in the adult kidney and liver and to a lesser extent in the adult and fetal spleen, adult lymph nodes and appendix, and fetal liver and kidney. RBP5 expression is strongly decreased in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues.

RSU1 is a protein which is involved in the ras signal transduction pathway, growth inhibition, and nerve-growth factor induced differentiation processes, as has been established in mouse and human cell line studies. In mouse, RSU1 was originally isolated based on its ability to inhibit v-Ras transformation. RSU1 oossibly has a role in the Ras signal transduction pathway. RSU1 is also capable of suppressing v-Ras transformation in vitro.

ADP-ribosylation factor 5 (ARF5) is a small guanine nucleotide-binding protein which enhances the enzymatic activities of cholera toxin. ARF-dependent regulatory mechanisms include the coordination of spectrin interactions with golgi membranes and the connection of actin to the golgi via rho family-dependent G-protein localization and WASP/Arp2/3 complexes. ARF5 is involved in vesicular transport and functioning via phospholipase D activation.

ARL4D is a developmentally regulated member of the ADP-ribosylation factor/ARF-like protein (ARF/ARL) family of Ras-related GTPases. Small GTP-binding protein which cycles between an inactive GDP-bound and an active GTP-bound form, and the rate of cycling is regulated by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEF) and GTPase-activating proteins (GAP). ARL4D takes part in membrane-associated intracellular trafficking. Mutations in this gene is linked to Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS).

Bestrophin 1 (BEST1) is a part of the bestrophin gene family and is also forms calcium-activated chloride-ion channels in epithelial. This small gene family is characterized by proteins with a highly conserved N-terminus with 4-6 transmembrane domains. BEST1 is extremely permeable to bicarbonate.

Cytokeratin 5 (KRT5) belongs to the keratin gene family. The type II cytokeratins are comprised of basic or neutral proteins which are arranged in pairs of heterotypic keratin chains coexpressed throughout differentiation of simple and stratified epithelial tissues. The type II cytokeratins are clustered in a region of chromosome 12q12-q13. The KRT5 type II cytokeratin is specifically expressed in the basal layer of the epidermis with family member KRT14. Mutations in these genes are linked with a complex of diseases termed epidermolysis bullosa simplex.

Lipocalin-1 (LCN1) belongs to the lipocalin family of small secretory proteins. Lipocalins are extracellular transport proteins, which bind to various hydrophobic ligands. LCN1 protein is the principal lipid binding protein in tears and is overproduced in response to numerous stimuli including infection and stress. LCN1 is a marker for chromosome aneuploidy as well as an autoantigen in Sjogren's syndrome.

Clusterin also named Apolipoprotein J (APO-J) is a 75-80 kD disulfide-linked heterodimeric protein containing about 30% of N-linked carbohydrate rich in sialic acid but truncated forms targeted to the nucleus have also been identified.
The precursor polypeptide chain is cleaved proteolytically to remove the 22-mer secretory signal peptide and subsequently between residues 227/228 to generate the a and b chains. These are assembled in anti-parallel to give a heterodimeric molecule in which the cysteine-rich centers are linked by five disulfide bridges and are flanked by two predicted coiled-coil a-helices and three predicted amphipathic a-helices.
Across a broad range of species clusterin shows a high degree of sequence homology ranging from 70% to 80%. It is nearly ubiquitously expressed in most mammalian tissues and can be found in plasma, milk, urine, cerebrospinal fluid and semen.
It is able to bind and form complexes with numerous partners such as immunoglobulins, lipids, heparin, bacteria, complement components, paraoxonase, beta amyloid, leptin and others. Clusterin has been ascribed a plethora of functions such as phagocyte recruitment, aggregation induction, complement attack prevention, apoptosis inhibition, membrane remodeling, lipid transport, hormone transport and/or scavenging, matrix metalloproteinase inhibition.
A genuine function of clusterin has not been defined. One tempting hypothesis says that clusterin is an extracellular chaperone protecting cells from stress induced insults caused by degraded and misfolded protein precipitates.
Clusterin is up- or down regulated on the mRNA or protein level in many pathological and clinically relevant situations including cancer, organ regeneration, infection, Alzheimer disease, retinitis pigmentosa, myocardial infarction, renal tubular damage, autoimmunity and others.

RAD51 family members are evolutionarily conserved proteins vital for DNA repair by homologous recombination. RAD51B is a part of the RAD51 protein family. RAD51B is involved in the homologous recombination repair (HRR) pathway of double-stranded DNA breaks occurring during DNA replication or induced by DNA-damaging agents. RAD51B forms a stable heterodimer with the family member RAD51C, which interacts with the other family members, such as RAD51, XRCC2, and XRCC3. Overexpression of RAD51B leads to cell cycle G1 delay and cell apoptosis.

Recombinant Human X-Ray Repair Cross Complementing Protein 3, also referred to XRCC3, is a member of RecA family and RAD51 subfamily. The protein takes partin homologous recombination to maintain chromosome stability and repair DNA damage. XRCC3functionally complements Chinese hamster irs1SF, a repair-deficient mutant that shows hypersensitivity to a number of different DNA-damaging agents & chromosomally unstable.

Cytotoxic and Regulatory T Cell Molecule, also known as CRTAM belongs to the immunoglobulin superfamily which complies with the structural characteristics of the JAM family and is phylogenetically more closely related to nectin-like proteins. CRTAM is implicated in epithelial cell adhesion. Furthermore, CRTAM interacts with CADM1 as well as promotes natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity.

Adiponectin is a recently discovered 244 amino acid protein, the product of the apM1 gene, which is physiologically active and specifically and highly expressed in adipose cells (Adipokine). The protein belongs to the soluble defense collagen super family; it has a collagen-like domain structurally homologous with collagen VIII and X and complement factor C1q-like globular domain. APM-1 forms homotrimers, which are the building blocks for higher order complexes found circulating in serum.

Adiponectin, also referred to as Acrp30, AdipoQ and GBP-28, is a recently discovered 244 amino acid protein, the product of the apM1 gene, which is physiologically active and specifically and highly expressed in adipose cells (Adipokine). The protein belongs to the soluble defense collagen super family; it has a collagen-like domain structurally homologous with collagen VIII and X and complement factor C1q-like globular domain. APM-1 forms homotrimers, which are the building blocks for higher order complexes found circulating in serum.

CD166 antigen isoform 2 (ALCAM) is a type 1 membrane glycoprotein and belongs to the immunoglobulin superfamily. ALCAM is expressed on thymic epithelium, microvascular endothelium, activated lymphocytes and monocytes, and monocyte-derived dendritic cells. CD166 and CD6 interaction plays a role in T cell development and T cell regulation, as well as in the binding of T cells and B cells to activated leukocytes.

E-cadherin (uvomorulin, cell-CAM120/80) is a calcium dependent cell adhesion molecule expressed predominately in epithelial tissues. It plays an important role in the growth and development of cells via the mechanisms of control of tissue architecture and the maintenance of tissue integrity. Numerous studies have demonstrated that reduction and/or loss of Ecadherin expression in carcinomas correlates positively with the potential of these tumors for invasion and metastasis.

Leukemia inhibitory factor, is a pleiotropic cytokine which is expressed by numerous cells including activated T lymphocytes, monocytes, mast cells and neuronal cells. LIF takes part in the induction of hematopoietic differentiation in normal and myeloid leukemia cells, induction of neuronal cell differentiation, regulator of mesenchymal to epithelial conversion during kidney development, and is a key player in immune tolerance at the maternal-fetal interface.

Rho-related GTP-binding protein RhoB (RhoB) belongs to the Rho GTP-binding protein family. RhoB facilitates apoptosis in neoplastically transformed cells after DNA damage. RhoB has a negative role in tumorigenesis since deletion causes tumor formation.

60S ribosomal protein L8 (RPL8) is a member of the ribosomal protein L2P family. Ribosomes consist of a small 40S subunit and a large 60S subunit. RPL8 is found in the cytoplasm and exists as a component of the 60S subunit where it is assumed to have role in aminoacyl-tRNA binding, specifically at the ribosomal subunit interface. In rats, the RPL8 protein connects with the 5.8S rRNA, and possibly participates in the binding of aminoacyl-tRNA, and is a component of the elongation factor 2-binding site at the ribosomal subunit interface.

RANKL binds to tnfrsf11b/opg and to tnfrsf11a/rank. Osteoclast differentiation and activation factor. Augments the ability of dendritic cells to stimulate naive t-cell proliferation. May be an important regulator of interactions between t-cells and dendritic cells and may play a role in the regulation of the t-cell-dependent immune response. sRANKL may also play an important role in enhanced bone-resorption in humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy.