DNA of nonhuman primates harbors hepatitis C-virus-specific sequences of its 5 '-non-coding region (5 '-NCR)

The DNA from PBMCs of both hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive patients and he althy HCV-negative human individuals tested thus far contains essential par ts - up to 272/341 nucleotides - of the HCV 5'-non-coding region (5'-NCR). These findings bring up the question of the possible evolutionary backgroun d of these sequences. Therefore, using the same methodology, we looked for the same sequences in animals closely related to man, i.e., in nonhuman pri mates (two chimpanzees, one orang-utan, one Debrazza monkey, two New World monkey species and a prosimian). The DNA from PBMCs of the studied animals belonging to nonhuman primates contains essential parts up to 272/341 nucle otides - of the HCV 5'-non-coding region (5'-NCR). A common sequence of 82 nucleotides is contained in the DNA of all the tested animals but only the chimpanzee's DNA harbors the same, longer sequence region of 272/341 nucleo tides of the 5'-NCR found in human DNA. The results may provide a clue as t o the possible origin of parts of the IRES containing sequence area of the HCV.