The HCV contains a positive sense single- stranded RNA that is translated to a largepolyprotein precursor. The latter undergoes proteolytic cleavage by viral and host enzymes in order to generate mature structuralproteins (core, E1, E2 and p7) and non-structural proteins (NS2, NS3,
NS4A, NS4B, NS5A and NS5B). These molecules may target multiple cell types, includinghepatocytes, monocytes, lymphocytes and various secretory cells, and thereby modulate cell proliferation, apoptosis,oxidative stress and innate immunity (Giada, Konstantinos dan Kostas, 2014)
