Viral gastroenteritis in hospitalized patients: Evaluation of immunochromatographic methods for rapid detection in stool samples.

Background: . Viral infections are recognized as the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis (AGE). Virus detection by immune analytical methods is recommended for diagnosis because of its simplicity and low cost.

Hepatitis C virus core protein transactivates the inducible nitric oxide synthase promoter via NF-kappaB activation.

Intrahepatic levels of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) are increased in chronic hepatitis C patients. As iNOS gene promoter contains Nuclear Factor (NF)-kappaB binding sites and hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein activates NF-kappaB, the aim of this work was to study if HCV core protein transactivates iNOS promoter through NF-kappaB activation. iNOS mRNA and protein were determined by RT-PCR and western blot in HepG2 cells.