Anti-Hepatitis C Virus - 100 μg

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Flaviviridae family. Its genome spans approximately 10,000 nucleotides and encodes a single polyprotein of about 3,000 amino acids, which is cleaved by both host and viral proteases into structural and non-structural proteins essential for viral replication. The HCV core protein, composed of the first 191 amino acids of the viral polyprotein, is a structural protein that is co-translationally inserted into the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. Beyond its role in virion assembly, the core protein is involved in modulating host cellular functions, including transcriptional regulation and signal transduction pathways—although the exact mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Recent studies suggest that the HCV core protein plays a role in viral pathogenesis by interfering with host immune responses. It has been shown to circulate in the bloodstream of infected individuals and inhibit immune function, partly through its interaction with gC1qR, a host protein involved in the complement pathway. As a result, T cell responses, including interferon-gamma production, are often suppressed in individuals with chronic HCV infection. Clinically, the HCV core antigen has emerged as a diagnostic marker for hepatitis C infection, offering an alternative to RNA-based detection in some settings. Chronic HCV infection is a major global health concern, frequently progressing to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in untreated individuals.