Profiles of HCV core protein and viremia in chronic Hepatitis C: possible protective role of core antigen in liver damage

The relation between HCV core antigen and HCV RNA has been confirmed in patients with chronic hepatitis C and a parallel behavior of the two markers has been described in early kinetics analysis during antiviral therapy. Variations of the core antigen to HCV RNA ratio have been reported in individua...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of medical virology 2005-05, Vol.76 (1), p.55-60
Main Authors: Carabaich, Alessandro, Ruvoletto, Mariagrazia, Bernardinello, Elisabetta, Tono, Natascia, Cavalletto, Luisa, Chemello, Liliana, Gatta, Angelo, Pontisso, Patrizia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use
Biological and medical sciences
Biomarkers - blood
Carrier State - diagnosis
density gradient analysis
Diagnosis, Differential
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Hepacivirus - genetics
Hepacivirus - isolation & purification
Hepatitis C Antigens - blood
Hepatitis C, Chronic - blood
Hepatitis C, Chronic - diagnosis
Hepatitis C, Chronic - drug therapy
Human viral diseases
Humans
Infectious diseases
lipid associated HCV particles
Lipoproteins - blood
Lipoproteins - metabolism
Liver - pathology
Liver - virology
liver disease activity
Male
Medical sciences
Microbiology
Middle Aged
Miscellaneous
nucleocapsid particles
RNA, Viral - blood
Viral diseases
Viral hepatitis
Virology
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Summary:The relation between HCV core antigen and HCV RNA has been confirmed in patients with chronic hepatitis C and a parallel behavior of the two markers has been described in early kinetics analysis during antiviral therapy. Variations of the core antigen to HCV RNA ratio have been reported in individual patients and the existence of nucleocapsid particles, not always associated with viral genomes, have been described. To assess the characteristics of HCV core antigen reactivity in relation to viremia in patients with different clinical profiles, 233 patients with chronic hepatitis C were studied serially. Group A included 54 asymptomatic HCV carriers, group B included 8 viremic patients with biochemical long‐term response after antiviral therapy, while group C was composed of 171 patients with chronic liver disease and 75 were treated with combination therapy. Core antigen levels were not significantly different in the three groups of patients and a wide range of antigenic reactivity was observed in individual patients. A close relationship was observed between core antigen and HCV RNA, although their ratio was significantly higher in biochemical long‐term responders (group B), compared to the other groups (P 
ISSN:0146-6615
1096-9071
DOI:10.1002/jmv.20322