Abstract: The present invention provides an anti-hepatitis C virus composition that includes a substance that suppresses the expression or function of a PA28? gene, a method for preventing hepatitis C viral infection or suppressing hepatitis C virus growth that includes the step of administering the composition to a subject, and a method for screening an effective component of an anti-hepatitis C virus composition that includes the step of selecting a substance that inhibits the expression or function of a PA28? gene.

Abstract: An easy and efficient screening method for an agent useful for prevention and/or treatment of hepatitis C virus-related disease, and a prophylactic and/or therapeutic agent for hepatitis C virus-related disease obtained by the method. The screening method comprises a step of examining the inhibitory activity of an test substance on the protein-protein interaction between hepatitis C virus core protein and PA28.gamma,. The method can be carried out by using transcriptional activity of a lipid metabolism-control factor as indicator. The test substance used in the method may have an activity to inhibit expression or function of the PA28.gamma. gene. The hepatitis C virus-related diseases include fatty liver, acute hepatitis, chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and insulin-resistant diseases. The method is extremely useful as a method of obtaining an agent superior in preventive and therapeutic activity particularly to diseases such as fatty liver and liver cancer.

Abstract: The present invention provides an anti-hepatitis C virus composition that includes a substance that suppresses the expression or function of a PA28? gene, a method for preventing hepatitis C viral infection or suppressing hepatitis C virus growth that includes the step of administering the composition to a subject, and a method for screening an effective component of an anti-hepatitis C virus composition that includes the step of selecting a substance that inhibits the expression or function of a PA28? gene.

Abstract: Provided is a screening method being able to screen an agent useful for prevention and/or treatment of hepatitis C virus-related disease easily and efficiently and a prophylactic and/or therapeutic agent for hepatitis C virus-related disease obtained by the method. The screening method for a prophylactic and/or therapeutic agent for hepatitis C virus-related disease according to the present invention is characterized by comprising a a step of examining the inhibitory activity of an test substance on the protein-protein interaction between hepatitis C virus core protein and PA28?. The method can be carried out, for example, by using transcriptional activity of a lipid metabolism-control factor as indicator. The test substance used in the method may have an activity to inhibit expression or function of the PA28? gene. The hepatitis C virus-related diseases include hepatitis C, fatty liver, acute hepatitis, chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, insulin-resistant diseases, and the like.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel baculovirus vector which can provide a desired protein not requiring infectivity to insect cells, on the viral particle surface; method of producing thereof; and method of gene transfer using the baculovirus vector. A method of producing a baculovirus vector including; a process of cotransfecting at least a plasmid containing a gene coding a protein capable of being expressed on a cell surface and one of wild-type, mutated-type form, and recombinant baculovirus DNAs into insect cells, wherein a pseudotyped baculovirus which includes at least one part of the baculovirus DNA and is coated with the protein capable of being expressed on a cell surface, is generated.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a screening method and identification method for a compound that inhibits the cell infection of hepatitis C virus (HCV), which comprises measuring affinity of a test compound for fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) or the capability of blocking the binding thereof to HCV, and selecting or judging a test compound.

Abstract: The present invention provides a substance which inhibits the binding between E2/NS1 protein of hepatitis C virus and a cell infectious with hepatitis C virus, a cell expressing CD81, or CD81. The present invention can provide a novel medicament which has an anti-viral effects such as an inhibitory action against HCV infection.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel baculovirus vector which can provide a desired protein not requiring infectivity to insect cells, on the viral particle surface; method of producing thereof; and method of gene transfer using the baculovirus vector. A method of producing a baculovirus vector including; a process of cotransfecting at least a plasmid containing a gene coding a protein capable of being expressed on a cell surface and one of wild-type, mutated-type form, and recombinant baculovirus DNAs into insect cells, wherein a pseudotyped baculovirus which includes at least one part of the baculovirus DNA and is coated with the protein capable of being expressed on a cell surface, is generated.

Abstract: The invention provides a recombinant vaccinia virus strain DIs that possesses a polynucleotide encoding a foreign antigenic protein in the non-essential gene region of the chromosome DNA and expresses the antigenic protein; and provides a highly-safe, vaccinia virus vaccine containing the recombinant virus strain DIs as the active ingredient. The invention also provides a method of using the vaccinia virus strain DIs as a vector for protein expression.

Abstract: The present invention provides a substance which inhibits the binding between E2/NS1 protein of hepatitis C virus and a cell infectious with hepatitis C virus, a cell expressing CD81, or CD81. The present invention can provide a novel medicament which has an anti-viral effects such as an inhibitory action against HCV infection.

Abstract: A method for extracellularly producing an ectoprotein of hepatitis C virus comprises the steps of cultivating a transformant which is transformed with an expression vector containing a DNA fragment coding for the ectoprotein of hepatitis C virus and recovering the ectoprotein of hepatitis C virus extracellularly produced by the transformant. The protein originated from the E1 region prepared by the method can be used as a material for preparing a vaccine for preventing HCV infection. In addition, a diagnostic agent containing the protein is useful for the detection of an HCV antibody or the confirmation of the presence thereof in sera or the like. In other words, the protein of the present invention permits the diagnosis of C type hepatitis in high specificity and sensitivity.

Abstract: A method for extracellularly producing an ectoprotein of hepatitis C virus comprises the steps of cultivating a transformant which is transformed with an expression vector containing a DNA fragment coding for the ectoprotein of hepatitis C virus and recovering the ectoprotein of hepatitis C virus extracellularly produced by the transformant. The protein originated from the E1 region prepared by the method can be used as a material for preparing a vaccine for preventing HCV infection. In addition, a diagnostic agent containing the protein is useful for the detection of an HCV antibody or the confirmation of the presence thereof in sera or the like. In other words, the protein of the present invention permits the diagnosis of C type hepatitis in high specificity and sensitivity.

Abstract: A method for extracellularly producing an ectoprotein of hepatitis C virus comprises the steps of cultivating a transformant which is transformed with an expression vector containing a DNA fragment coding for the ectoprotein of hepatitis C virus and recovering the ectoprotein of hepatitis C virus extracellularly produced by the transformant. The protein originated from the E1 region prepared by the method can be used as a material for preparing a vaccine for preventing HCV infection. In addition, a diagnostic agent containing the protein is useful for the detection of an HCV antibody or the confirmation of the presence thereof in sera or the like. In other words, the protein of the present invention permits the diagnosis of C type hepatitis in high specificity and sensitivity.

Abstract: A hepatitis C virus antigen polypeptide having a molecular weight of approximately 22 kilodaltons expressed from a hepatitis C virus structural gene region; a production method for a hepatitis C virus antigen polypeptide having a molecular weight of 22 kilodaltons and/or a peptide related thereto, wherein an expression vector having inserted thereinto a cDNA fragment of a hepatitis C virus structural gene region is inserted into a cultured cell line and the transfected cell line thus obtained is cultured; and a detection method for a hepatitis C virus antibody, wherein a hepatitis C virus antigen polypeptide is used as an antigen, and an antibody specific thereto is detected.

Abstract: A hepatitis C virus antigen polypeptide having a molecular weight of approximately 22 kilodaltons expressed from a hepatitis C virus structural gene region; a production method for a hepatitis C virus antigen polypeptide having a molecular weight of 22 kilodaltons and/or a peptide related thereto, wherein an expression vector having inserted thereinto a cDNA fragment of a hepatitis C virus structural gene region is inserted into a cultured cell line and the transfected cell line thus obtained is cultured; and a detection method for a hepatitis C virus antibody, wherein a hepatitis C virus antigen polypeptide is used as an antigen, and an antibody specific thereto is detected.

Abstract: The antigenic peptide represented by the following amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 1) ##STR1## and a method of the detection of anti-HCV antibodies wherein the above peptide is brought into contact with a sample under the conditions that the peptide is bound to anti-HCV antibodies present in the sample to form an immunological complex and the formation of the immunological complex is measured to confirm the existence of the anti HCV antibodies in the sample. The method is highly specific and sensitive to anti-HCV antibodies.

Abstract: Recombinant Baculovirus in which the cDNA encoding E protein derived from Japanese encephalitis virus is integrated into the genome region non-essential to proliferation of Baculovirus under control of the promoter is infected to insect cells such as Sf9 cells, derived from Spodoptera frugiperda and the infected cells are cultured to express E protein of Japanese encephalitis. This E protein is useful as vaccines or diagnostics.