Dual effect of the Nrf2 inhibitor for inhibition of HCV and cell proliferation

We investigated whether brusatol, an Nrf2 inhibitor, has dual effects as anti-HCV and anti-hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and whether brusatol can enhance the similar dual effects of sorafenib. We showed that brusatol has dual effects as anti-HCV and anti-HCC and can enhance the similar in vitro effect by sorafenib and that there is potential of combination therapy of brusatol and sorafenib for HCV-related HCC. We performed microarray analysis for 2 samples;one from the control HPI cell, HCV-persistently infected Huh7.5 cell and the other from the HPI cell treated with brusatol, Nrf2 inhibitor, at a concentration of GI50.