HCV Envelope glycoprotein E2 antibody

Background of HCV Envelope glycoprotein E2 antibody

Hepatitis C E2 is a virus envelope glycoprotein which forms a heterodimer with the E1 protein. E2 inhibits human EIF2AK2/PKR activation, preventing
the establishment of an antiviral state. E2 is a viral ligand for CD209/DC-SIGN and CLEC4M/DC-SIGNR, which are respectively found on dendritic cells (DCs), and on liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and macrophage-like cells of lymph node sinuses. These interactions allow capture of circulating HCV particles by these cells and subsequent transmission to permissive cells. DCs are professional antigen presenting cells, critical for host immunity by inducing specific immune responses against a broad variety of pathogens. They act as sentinels in various tissues where they entrap pathogens and convey them to local lymphoid tissue or lymph node for establishment of immunity. Capture of circulating HCV particles by these SIGN+ cells may facilitate virus infection of proximal hepatocytes and lymphocyte subpopulations and may be essential for the establishment of persistent infection.