US 7,465,537 B2
Compounds and methods for inhibiting hepatitis C virus replication
Kevin D. Raney, Little Rock, Ark. (US); Craig E. Cameron, State College, Pa. (US); Bhuvanesh Dave, Little Rock, Ark. (US); Joshua Sakon, Fayetteville, Ark. (US); Jeff Zhiqiang Lu, Towson, Md. (US); Samuel G. Mackintosh, Little Rock, Ark. (US); and Thomas A. Jennings, Little Rock, Ark. (US)
Assigned to The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas, Little Rock, Ark. (US)
Filed on May 01, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/119,587.
Prior Publication US 2006/0246421 A1, Nov. 02, 2006
Int. Cl. C12Q 1/68 (2006.01); C12N 4/48 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 435—5  [424/149.1; 530/350] 6 Claims
 
1. A method of inhibiting hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication in cells infected with HCV comprising:
contacting the cells with an agent that inhibits NS3 enzyme activity by inhibiting NS3 oligomerization; wherein the agent reduces replication of viral nucleic acid in the cells or spread of virus to other cells;
wherein the agent is a vector expressing a dominant-negative mutant NS3 gene that expresses an ATPase-deficient NS3 protein that is 90% identical to SEQ ID NO:3 and the step of contacting the agent comprises transforming the cells with the vector;
wherein the ATPase-deficient NS3 protein comprises a D290A mutation; and
wherein the cells are in vitro.