Polyclonal antibody preparation and expression in liver tissues of transactivated protein 5 of hepatitis C virus nonstructural 5A

Objective To prepare polyclonal antibody of transactivated protein 5 of hepatitis C virus nonstructural 5A (NA5ATP5) and to explore its expression in the liver tissues. Methods In Escherichia coil BL21, the prokaryotic expression vector pET32a(+)-NS5ATP5 was induced by isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactoside (IPTG), and it was analyzed with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyaerylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blotting. And the purified protein was used to immunize the rabbit to prepare polyelonai antibody, with which we studied the function of NSSATP5 by determining the different liver tissues with the streptavidin-perosidase (SP) immunohistochemistry method. Results Recombinant NS5ATP5 (molecular weight: 65 kD) and polyclonal antibody were successfully prepared. NS5ATP5 expression in the liver of patients with chronic HCV infection was much higher than that of a normal person, and it was detected mainly in the cytoplasm. Conclusion The findings of the expression difference between HCV patients and normal people led to a novel diagnostic marker to detect HCV infection.