AIM: To examine the effect of hepatitis C virus (HCV) structural mimics of regulatory regions of the genome on HCV replication.METHODS: HCV RNA structural mimics were constructed and tested in a HCV genotype 1b aBB7 replicon,and a Japanese fulminant hepatitis-1 (JFH-1) HCV genotype 2a infection model.All sequences were computer-predicted to adopt stem-loop structures identical to the corresponding elements in full-length viral RNA.Huh7.5 cells bearing the BB7 replicon or infected with JFH-1 virus were transfected with expression vectors generating HCV mimics and controls.Cellular HCV RNA and protein levels were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting,respectively.To evaluate possible antisense effects,complementary RNAs spanning a mimic were prepared.RESULTS: In the BB7 genotype 1b replicon system,mimics of the polymerase (NS-5B),X and BA regions inhibited replication by more than 90%,50%,and 60%,respectively.In the JFH-1 genotype 2 infection system,mimics that were only 74% and 46% identical in sequence relative to the corresponding region in JFH-1 inhibited HCV replication by 91.5% and 91.2%,respectively,as effectively as a mimic with complete identity to HCV genotype 2a.The inhibitory effects were confirmed by NS3 protein levels.Antisense RNA molecules spanning the 74% identical mimic had no significant effects.CONCLUSION: HCV RNA structural mimics can inhibit HCV RNA replication in replicon and infectious HCV systems and do so independent of close sequence identity with the target. AIM: To examine the effect of hepatitis C virus (HCV) structural mimics of regulatory regions of the genome on HCV replication. METHODS: HCV RNA structural mimics were constructed and tested in a HCV genotype 1b aBB7 replicon, and a Japanese fulminant hepatitis-1 (JFH-1) HCV genotype 2a infection model. All sequences were computer-predicted to adopt stem-loop structures identical to the corresponding elements in full-length viral RNA. Huh7.5 cells bearing the BB7 replicon or infected with JFH-1 virus were transfected with expression vectors generating HCV mimics and controls. Cellular HCV RNA and protein levels were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, respectively. Evaluation of possible antisense effects, complementary RNAs spanning a mimic were prepared .RESULTS: In the BB7 genotype 1b replicon system, mimics of the polymerase (NS-5B), X and BA regions inhibited replication by more than 90%, 50%, and 60%, respectively. In the JFH-1 genotype 2 infection system, mimic s that were only 74% and 46% identical in sequence relative to the corresponding region in JFH-1 inhibited HCV replication by 91.5% and 91.2% respectively, respectively, as effectively as a mimic with complete identity to HCV genotype 2a. inhibitory effects were confirmed by NS3 protein levels. Antisense RNA molecules spanning the 74% identical mimic had no significant effects. CONCLUSION: HCV RNA structural mimics can inhibit HCV RNA replication in replicon and infectious HCV systems and do so independent.