Recombinant Viral HCV E2 Protein, CF

Recombinant Viral HCV E2 Protein, CF Summary

Product Specifications

Product Datasheets

Carrier Free

CF stands for Carrier Free (CF). We typically add Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) as a carrier protein to our recombinant proteins. Adding a carrier protein enhances protein stability, increases shelf-life, and allows the recombinant protein to be stored at a more dilute concentration. The carrier free version does not contain BSA.

In general, we advise purchasing the recombinant protein with BSA for use in cell or tissue culture, or as an ELISA standard. In contrast, the carrier free protein is recommended for applications, in which the presence of BSA could interfere.

Background: HCV E2

Glycoprotein E2 is an approximately 60 kDa viral envelope protein encoded by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome (1-3). HCV infection is closely associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis of the liver. E2 is a transmembrane molecule expressed as a noncovalent dimer with the E1 glycoprotein (4). It binds to CD81 and CD36/SR-BI on hepatocytes, and glycosylation of E2 is important for this interaction (4-8). The virus also requires target cell expression of the tight junction proteins Claudin-1 and Occludin for infectivity (7, 9, 10). CD81 and Occludin are responsible for the human host cell specificity of HCV (10). E2 binding to CD81 on NK cells inhibits cytokine production and cytolytic activity (11, 12). In contrast, E2 binding to CD81 on T cells provides a costimulatory signal (11, 12). On plasmacytoid dendritic cells, E2 binds to CD81 as well as BDCA-2 and DCIR, resulting in inhibition of IFN-alpha production and cell maturation (13, 14).