Effects of alanine substitutions for E2 basic amino acids on HCVcc infectivity, heparin neutralization, core release and anti-ApoE inhibition.

<p>(A) HCVcc infectivity of Luc-Jc1 WT or mutants. Infectivity of each mutant is expressed as a percentage of the infectivity level observed for the WT. The cut-off was set according to the infectivity observed for the E1AA mutant. Values shown represent the mean for three assays (± SD). Columns next to infectivity rates represent percentage (%) of E2 protein immunoprecipitated (shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0052651#pone-0052651-g002" target="_blank">Fig. 2</a>) and core supernatant release relative to WT virus. (B) Huh-7.5 cells were infected with Luc-Jc1 WT or with the indicated E2 mutant viruses in the presence of GAG antagonists (chondroitin sulfate or heparin, 200 µg/ml). The heparin neutralization scale was set relative to chondroitin sulfate neutralization. (C & D) Dose-dependent inhibition of mutantś entry by anti-ApoE. Infections were performed with WT or mutant viruses as follows: viruses were pre-incubated with anti-ApoE antibodies at the given concentrations and then added to the cells. <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0052651#s3" target="_blank">Results</a> are drawn from a representative experiment of three independent experiments. All points represent the mean of duplicate infections measured in duplicate (n = 4, ± SD).^a NA, not applicable.