Objective      To determine the effect of HCV core protein on HepG2 cells proliferation after construction of a retroviral vector containing the protein

and

detect the expression of Wnt1 and microRNA152 in the HepG2 cells after transfection.       Methods      A recombinant adenovirus expressing HCV core protein along with EGFP with high titer was used to transfect the HepG2 cells. The expression of HCV core protein in the transfected cells was evaluated by real-time PCR and Western blot analysis. Cell viability of HepG2 cells was measured by MTT assay

flow cytometry and colony formation assay after the transfection of Ad-EGFP and Ad-HCV core. Real-time PCR and Western blot analysis was employed to detect the expression of Wnt1 and miR-152 in HepG2 cells transfected with HCV core protein and miR-152 inhibitor.       Results      The titer of the recombinant adenovirus expressing HCV core was 1.6×10

10

pfu/mL

and that of Ad-EGFP was 1.5×10

9

pfu/mL The recombinant viruses could effectively transfected into HepG2 cells

and HCV core protein was highly expressed after the transfection of Ad-HCV core. The transfection of the virus Ad-HCV core resulted in an increase in cell proliferation

and promotion in G

1

/S cell cycle progression and formation of cell colonies in 48 h after transfection (

P

<

0.05). Transfection of the adenovirus of HCV core caused up-regulation of Wnt1 and down-regulation of miR-152 (

P

<

0.05). miR-152 inhibitor also upregulated the expression of Wnt1 at mRNA and protein levels (

P

<

0.05). Subsequent bioinformative analysis revealed that the 3′-UTR of Wnt1 mRNA contained a complementary site for miR-152.       Conclusion      HCV core protein might attenuate the degradation and transcription of Wnt1 mRNA through inhibiting miR-152

and then activate the Wnt signaling pathway in order to promote the proliferation of hepatoma carcinoma cells.