Hepatitis B virus core protein interacts with CD59 to promote complement-mediated liver inflammation during chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

Highlights: [•] A novel HBc interacting protein, CD59, was identified in hepatocytes. [•] Down-regulation of CD59 makes hepatocytes sensible to complement mediated lysis. [•] CD59 down-regulation and MAC accumulation in HBV patients’ liver were observed. [•] Nuclear translocation of CD59 upon binding with HBc was experimentally detected. [•] CD59 down-regulation is probably driven through a negative feedback loop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]