Figure 5

HCV polyprotein expression induced dysfunction of the mitochondria. A: HeLa cells uninfected or infected at 5 PFU/cell with the recombinant VT7-HCV7.9 in the presence or absence of IPTG were labelled in vivo at 24 h p.i with Mitotracker deep red (blue) to detect the mitochondria, with an anti-cytochrome c (red) antibody and with the serum from an HCV-infected patient to detect HCV proteins. Cells treated with staurosporine at 0.5 μM for 16 h were used as positive control. B: HeLa cells were either infected at 5 PFU/cell with the recombinant VT7-HCV7.9 in the presence or absence of IPTG, or treated with staurosporine at 0.5 μM for 16 h. At 48 h p.i, the mitochrondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) was determined quantifying TMRE fluorescence. C: HeLa cells were either infected at 5 PFU/cell with the recombinant VT7-HCV7.9 in the absence or presence of IPTG or treated with staurosporine at 0.5 μM for 16 h. At 48 h p.i, the uninfected and infected cells were stained with dihydroethidium (2-HE) and subjected to flow cytometry. Note: STS: staurosporine.