Hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ and α-mRNA expression in HCV-infected adults is decreased by HIV co-infection and is also affected by ethnicity

• Published in: Clinics (São Paulo, Brazil) Brazil), 2015-12, Vol.70 (12), p.790-796
• Main Authors: Shores, Nathan J, Mendes-Corrêa, Maria Cássia, Maida, Ivana, Turner, JoLyn, High, Kevin P, Babudieri, Sergio, Núñez, Marina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Analysis of Variance; Biopsy; Clinical Science; Coinfection - complications; Coinfection - ethnology; Coinfection - pathology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Hepatitis C; Hepatitis C, Chronic - complications; Hepatitis C, Chronic - ethnology; Hepatitis C, Chronic - pathology; HIV Infection; HIV Infections - complications; HIV Infections - ethnology; HIV Infections - pathology; Humans; Linear Models; Liver - pathology; Liver Cirrhosis - etiology; Liver Cirrhosis - pathology; Liver Tissue; Male; MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL; Middle Aged; mRNA Expression; Nuclear Receptors; PPAR; PPAR alpha - analysis; PPAR alpha - genetics; PPAR gamma - analysis; PPAR gamma - genetics; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Reference Values; RNA, Messenger - analysis; Severity of Illness Index
• ISSN: 1807-5932; 1980-5322; 1980-5322
• DOI: 10.6061/clinics/2015(12)05

To determine peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α and γ mRNA expression in liver tissue of hepatitis C virus-infected patients with and without human immunodeficiency virus and its possible contribution to an acceleration of liver disease progression. We measured peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α and γ mRNA expression by real-time polymerase chain reaction in liver tissues from 40 subjects infected only with hepatitis C virus, 36 subjects co-infected with hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus and 11 normal adults. Hepatic mRNA expression of both peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors was significantly lower in hepatitis C virus-infected subjects with and without human immunodeficiency virus co-infection compared to the controls. Non-black race was also identified as a predictor of lower peroxisome receptor α and γ mRNA expression. Compared to subjects infected only with hepatitis C virus, liver peroxisome receptor γ mRNA expression was significantly lower in hepatitis C virus/human immunodeficiency virus-co-infected subjects (0.0092 in hepatitis C virus/human immunodeficiency virus-co-infection vs. 0.0120 in hepatitis C virus-only; p=0.004). Hepatic peroxisome receptor α mRNA expression in the hepatitis C virus-infected patients was lower in the presence of human immunodeficiency virus co-infection in non-black subjects (0.0769 vs. 0.1061; p=0.02), whereas the levels did not vary based on human immunodeficiency virus status among black subjects. mRNA expression of both peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors is impaired in hepatitis C virus-infected liver and further reduced by human immunodeficiency virus co-infection, although the suppressive effects of the viruses are substantially mitigated in black patients.