HCV Protease

HCV NS3-4A serine protease is a complex composed of NS3 and its cofactor NS4A. It harbours serine protease as well as NTPase/RNA helicase activities and is essential for viral polyprotein processing, RNA replication and virion formation.

The HCV NS3/4A protease efficiently cleaves and inactivates two important signaling molecules in the sensory pathways that react to HCV pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) to induce interferons (IFNs), i.e., mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS) and Toll-IL-1 receptor domain-containing adaptor inducing IFN-β (TRIF). HCV infection is associated with chronic liver disease, including hepatic steatosis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The NS3-4A serine protease of HCV has been one of the most attractive targets for developing specific antiviral agents against HCV.