Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin

Featured article

Volume 42 (2019) Issue 5 Pages 770-777

Inhibition Mechanisms of Hepatitis C Virus Infection by Caffeic Acid and Tannic Acid

Yoshitaka Shirasago, Yoko Inamori, Takeru Suzuki, Isei Tanida, Tetsuro Suzuki, Kazuo Sugiyama, Takaji Wakita, Kentaro Hanada, Masayoshi Fukasawa

Previously, we reported that coffee extract and its constituents, caffeic acid (CA) and p-coumaric acid, inhibit infection by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). In the present report, we identified another coffee-related compound, tannic acid (TA), which also inhibits HCV infection. We systematically evaluated which steps of the viral lifecycle were affected by CA and TA. TA substantially inhibits HCV RNA replication and egression, while CA does not. The infectivity of the HCV pretreated with CA or TA was almost lost. Cellular attachment of HCV particles and their interaction with apolipoprotein E, which is essential for HCV infectivity, were significantly reduced by CA. These results indicate that CA inhibits HCV entry via its direct effect on viral particles and TA inhibits HCV RNA replication and particle egression as well as entry into host cells. Taken together, our findings may provide insights into CA and TA as potential anti-HCV strategies.

Editor’s picks

The article by Shirasago et al demonstrated that the coffee-related compounds caffeic acid and tannic acid act on hepatitis C virus (HCV) particles and abrogate their infectivity. Particularly, the authors demonstrated that caffeic acid significantly reduced cellular attachment of HCV particles and their interaction with host apolipoprotein E, which is essential for HCV infectivity. Intake of coffee or the coffee-related compounds caffeic acid and tannic acid, which are inexpensive and easy to supply, might lead to prevention of HCV infection and slower disease progression after HCV infection.

View the past featured articles

2019 Volume 42 Issue 5

The Reparative Effect of Dendrobium officinale Protocorms against Photodamage Caused by UV-Irradiation in Hairless Mice Yansui Mai, Zheng Niu, Wenda He, Xiaoping Lai, Song Huang, Xiasheng Zheng
Noradrenaline-Induced Relaxation of Urinary Bladder Smooth Muscle Is Primarily Triggered through the β₃-Adrenoceptor in Rats Keisuke Obara, Serena Suzuki, Hiroko Shibata, Naoki Yoneyama, Shoko Hamamatsu, Fumiko Yamaki, Koji Higai, Yoshio Tanaka
Discovery of a New STAT3 Inhibitor Acting on the Linker Domain Tatsuya Koseki, Naoya Suehiro, Yoshiaki Masuda, Nao Miyoshi, Daisuke Muraoka, Naohisa Ogo, Akira Asai
Maternal Immune Activation in Pregnant Mice Produces Offspring with Altered Hippocampal Ripples Mengxuan Gao, Ken Orita, Yuji Ikegaya

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