Iron inhibits replication of infectious hepatitis C virus in permissive Huh7.5.1 cells

Modulation of hepatitis C virus replication by iron and hepcidin in Huh7 hepatocytes

Several clinical observations point to an intricate crosstalk between iron (Fe) metabolism and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. In this study, we wanted to investigate the molecular control that Fe levels exert on HCV replication at the hepatocyte level. In keeping with previous observations we confirmed that supra-physiological intracellular Fe induced by haemin treatment down-modulated HCV replication from subgenomic replicons. We also found that RNAi-mediated knockdown of the key Fe modulator hepcidin increased intracellular ferritin and inhibited HCV replication. Conversely, HCV replication did not modulate ferritin content in hepatocytes. Finally, we demonstrated that hepcidin is modulated at the mRNA level by alpha interferon through STAT3. We propose that in Huh7 cells hepcidin modulation leads to an unfavourable intracellular environment for HCV replication. These data may therefore contribute to a better understanding of the complex interplay between HCV and cellular physiology during infection.

2-(2-{2-[2-(Dibromo-meth-yl)phen-oxy]eth-oxy}benz-yloxy)benzaldehyde

The mol­ecule of the title compound, C₂₃H₂₀Br₂O₄, adopts a Z conformation as a result of inter­molecular C—H⋯Br bonding. One benzene ring, with the structure R-CHBr₂, makes a dihedral angle of 63.0 (2)° with the other benzene ring attached to the aldehyde group. Inter­molecular π–π stacking inter­actions [centroid–centroid distance = 3.698 (4) Å] and a weak C—H⋯Br contact is present in the crystal structure.