Functional analysis of microRNA-122 binding sequences of hepatitis C virus and identification of variants with high resistance against a specific antagomir

MicroRNA 122 (miR-122) stimulates the replication and translation of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA by binding to two adjacent sites, S1 and S2, within the HCV 5'UTR. We demonstrated previously that the miR-122 antagomir miravirsen (SPC3649) suppresses the infection of HCV strain JFH1-based recombinants with HCV genotypes 1-6 5'UTR-NS2 in human hepatoma Huh7.5 cells. However, specific S1 mutations were permitted and conferred virus resistance to miravirsen treatment. Here, using the J6 (genotype 2a) 5'UTR-NS2 JFH1-based recombinant, we performed reverse-genetics analysis of S1 (ACACUCCG, corresponding to miR-122 seed nucleotide positions 8-1), S2 (CACUCC, positions 7-2), and ACCC (positions 1-4) at the 5' end of the HCV genome (5'E); the CC at positions 2-3 of 5'E is involved in miR-122 binding. We demonstrated that the 5' E required four nucleotides for optimal function, and that G or A at position 3 or combined GA at positions 2-3 of 5'E was permitted. In S1 and S2, several single mutations were allowed at specific positions. A UCC -> CGA change at positions 4-3-2 of S1, S2, or both S1 and S2 (S1/ S2), as well as a C -> G change at position 2 of S1/ S2 were permitted. We found that 5'E mutations did not confer virus resistance to miravirsen treatment. However, mutations in S1 and S2 induced virus resistance, and combined S1 and/ or S2 mutations conferred higher resistance than single mutations. Identification of miR-122 antagomir resistance-associated mutations will facilitate the study of additional functions of miR-122 in the HCV life cycle and the mechanism of virus escape to host-targeting antiviral approaches.