Hepatitis C virus core protein exerts an inhibitory effect on suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)-1 gene expression

HCV core protein down-regulates the expression of SOCS-1 gene. This is a mechanism leading to SOCS-1 silencing, an alternative to the hypermethylation of the gene; this effect of the core protein may modulate the intracellular signaling pathway, contributing to the pathogenesis in HCV infection including hepatocarcinogenesis.