Evolutionary trends of the first hypervariable region of the hepatitis C virus E2 protein in individuals with differing liver disease severity

• Published in: Journal of general virology 2002-01, Vol.83 (1), p.11-23
• Main Authors: Curran, Rebecca, Jameson, Claire L, Craggs, Joanna K, Grabowska, Anna M, Thomson, Brian J, Robins, Adrian, Irving, William L, Ball, Jonathan K
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alanine Transaminase - metabolism; Amino Acids; Base Sequence; Binding Sites; E2 envelope protein; E2 protein; Evolution, Molecular; Genetic Variation; Hepacivirus - classification; Hepacivirus - genetics; Hepatitis C - metabolism; Hepatitis C - physiopathology; Hepatitis C - virology; Hepatitis C Antigens - classification; Hepatitis C Antigens - genetics; Hepatitis C virus; Hepatitis C, Chronic - metabolism; Hepatitis C, Chronic - physiopathology; Hepatitis C, Chronic - virology; Humans; Liver - metabolism; Liver - physiopathology; Liver - virology; Liver Diseases - metabolism; Liver Diseases - physiopathology; Liver Diseases - virology; Molecular Sequence Data; Mutagenesis; Nucleotides; Phylogeny; Protein Sorting Signals; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Viral Envelope Proteins - classification; Viral Envelope Proteins - genetics; Viral Load
• ISSN: 0022-1317; 1465-2099
• DOI: 10.1099/0022-1317-83-1-11

Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Nottingham, Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK 1 Author for correspondence: Jonathan Ball. Fax [phone]. e-mail Jonathan.ball{at}nottingham.ac.uk Hepatitis C virus (HCV) exists as a complex swarm of genetically related viruses known as a quasispecies. Recent work has shown that quasispecies complexity and evolutionary rates are associated with the outcome of acute infection. Knowledge of how the virus population evolves at different stages of chronic infection is less clear. We have studied rates of evolution of the first hypervariable region (HVR1) of the E2 envelope protein in six individuals with disparate liver disease severity. These data show that virus populations present in individuals with mild non-progressive liver disease evolve in a typical Darwinian fashion, with a consistent accumulation of non-synonymous (amino acid-changing) substitutions. By contrast, the virus population remains relatively static in individuals with severe progressive liver disease. Possible mechanisms for this disparity are discussed.