other Medical Biotechnology Medical Biotechnology مقاله کامل Full Length/Original Article <strong>Introduction:</strong> Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a &lrm;blood-borne pathogen, resulting in liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Despite of many efforts in development of treatments for HCV, no vaccine has been licensed yet. The purpose of this study was &lrm;to design and prepare a specific mRNA, without 5&#39; cap and poly (A) tail transcribed <em>in vitro</em> capable of coding core protein and also to determine its functionality. <strong>Methods:</strong> Candidate mRNA was prepared by <em>in vitro</em> transcription of the designed construct consisting of &lrm;&lrm;5ʹ and 3ʹ untranslated regions of heat shock proteins 70 (hsp70) mRNA, T7 promoter, internal ribosome entry site (IRES) sequences of eIF4G related to human dendritic cells (DCs), and the <em>&lrm;Core</em> gene of HCV. To design the modified mRNA, the &lrm;&lrm;5&#39; cap and poly (A) tail structures were not considered. DCs were transfected by <em>in vitro-</em>transcribed messenger RNA (IVT-mRNA) and the expressions of green fluorescent protein (<em>GFP)</em>, and <em>Core</em> genes were determined by microscopic examination and Western blotting assay. <strong>Results:</strong> Cell transfection results showed that despite the absence of &lrm;&lrm;5&#39; cap and poly (A) tail, the structure of the mRNA &lrm;was stable. Moreover, the successful expressions of <em>GFP</em> and <em>Core</em> genes were achieved. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> Our findings indicated the effectiveness of a designed IVT-mRNA harboring the <em>Core</em> gene of HCV in transfecting and expressing the antigens in DCs. Considering the simple and efficient protocol for the preparation of this IVT-mRNA and its effectiveness in expressing the gene that it carries, this IVT-mRNA could be suitable for development of an RNA vaccine against HCV. Hepatitis C, Messenger, RNA, Vaccines 57 67 http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-744&slc_lang=other&sid=1 Zarin Sharifnia 0000-0001-8669-6421 No Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Mojgan Bandehpour 0000-0002-5309-9476 No Department of Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Bahram Kazemi 0000-0002-3072-8831 No Department of Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Nosratollah Zarghami 0000-0002-4236-4537 Yes Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran