Objective  To investigate the changes of intracellular GSH content in HepG2 cells infected with dengue virus (DV) or stably expressing E or NS3 protein.   Methods  HepG2 cells were cocultured with DV or inactivitated DV

l h later the viral supernatant was removed. The infected HepG2 cells were collected 10

20

30

40

60 min

and 2

6

12

24

48 h after the beginning coculture and intracellular GSH content was detected by spectrophotometry. Intracellular GSH content was also detected in HepG2 cells stably expressing E protein/NS3 (pReceiver-E/HepG2

pReceiver-NS3/HepG2) and those containing empty plasmid (pReceiver/HepG2).    Results  GSH content showed a decreasing tendency after DV-2 infection. The lowest values were seen 30 min and 2

24 h after infection

which were of significant difference in comparison with those in inactivated DV infected HepG2 cells as well as at other time points. GSH levels in pReceiver-E/HepG2

pReceiverNS3/HepG2 were significantly lower than those in pReceiver/HepG2.   Conclusion  DV-2 infection might lead to the GSH depletion in HepG2 cells

and GSH lost from HepG2 cells might undergo a three-step process: virus adsorption/penetration

protein synthesis and budding. E or NS3 protein stably expressed in HepG2 cells can also decrease the GSH levels.