Up-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 was slightly lower in cells treated with HCV core, but signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) activation was increased, suggesting dysregulation downstream of STAT activation.
Following transfection with HCV RNA, the JNK and NF-κB pathways are suppressed, while the JAK/STAT5 pathway is activated; furthermore, components of the apoptosis and cell cycle control machineries are affected in the expression and/or phosphorylation status.
Robust and higher expression levels of STAT1, STAT2 and STAT5 in liver tissue from HCV patients were found when compared with samples from healthy donors.