EN
Apoptosis is one of the processes of programmed cell death (PCD) in multicellular organism, and it is mediated by an intracellular proteolytic cascade. During viral infections, the host cell is the environment of the pathogen replication cycle. HEV and HCV encode proteins that prevent apoptosis. The ORF2 protein of HEV is responsible for overexpression of antiapoptotic Hsp72 in cells. Envelope glycoproteins E1 and E2 inhibit apoptosis induced by the Fas/Fas-L system. They block the activity of caspase-8 – the enzyme whose inactive form is part of DISC. The core protein HCV is a positive regulator of protein c-FLIP expression. c-FLIP prevents the conversion of caspase-8 zymogen into the mature, active form of the enzyme. NS5A inhibits the activity of p38MAPK, prevents the efflux of potassium ions from the cell, and thereby counteracts apoptosis.