Interferon alpha and ribavirin collaboratively regulate p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling in hepatoma cells

► Type I IFN receptor 2 mediated IFN-α-induced p38 MAPK phosphorylation. ► IFN-α and ribavirin collaboratively regulated p38 MAPK. ► The p38 MAPK phosphorylation was inhibited by IFN-α or ribavirin following HCVcc infection. ► HCV RNA replication was enhanced by ribavirin due to p38 MAPK siRNA transfection.