PROTEINS BINDING HCV AND THEIR MEDICAL, DIAGNOSTIC AND PURIFICATION USE

摘要

The finding that the host proteins integrin, MHC class I protein andϒ-glutamyl transpeptidase are capable of binding to the E1 envelope protein of hepatitis C virus (HCV), and processes for production and purification are described. The use of these host proteins in therapy and diagnosis and to pharmaceutical compositions and diagnostic kits are also disclosed. In addition, a process for screening putative molecules for competition with HCV for receptor binding is disclosed.