Another class of host factors involved in HCV assembly would have an indirect role by interfering
with LD biogenesis and subsequent core recruitment to LD. It is the case of the transcription factor
IKK-alpha responsible for lipogenesis. While in the case of DGAT1 the LD morphology remains
unchanged, IKK-alpha affects LD formation, LD-core interaction and HCV assembly [190].
Properties of lipid bilayers such as curvature and fluidity represent other factors that could influence
both the core recruitment to LD and the budding process. Indeed, it was recently reported that HCV
assembly needs the involvement of the cytosolic phospholipase A2 gamma 4A (PLA2G4A), an enzyme
responsible for the specific hydrolysis of arachidonic acid from position 2 of phospholipids. PLA2G4A
influences both the amount of core on LD, the core envelopment efficacy and the specific infectivity of
the secreted particles [191].