The quantitative humoral immune response to the hepatitis C virus is correlated with disease activity and response to interferon-α

Background/Aim: Virus-host interactions may have pathogenetic significance in chronic hepatitis. Thus the humoral immune response was evaluated during the clinical course of HCV-infected patients. Methods: Eighteen selected chronic HCV patients received three doses of 3 or 6 MU interferon-α2a weekly...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of hepatology 1996-09, Vol.25 (3), p.292-300
Main Authors: Löhr, Hanns F., Elste, Christina, Dienes, Hans-Peter, Michel, Gerd, Braun, Hans-Bertram, Meyer zum Büschenfelde, Karl-Hermann, Gerken, Guido
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Anti-HCV antibody levels
Antibody Formation
Antigen-Antibody Complex - analysis
Biological and medical sciences
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Feasibility Studies
Female
Flow Cytometry
Genotype
HCV-RNA levels
Hepacivirus - genetics
Hepacivirus - immunology
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C - immunology
Hepatitis C - therapy
Hepatitis C - virology
Hepatitis C Antibodies - analysis
Hepatitis C Antibodies - immunology
Human viral diseases
Humans
Immune complex formation
Infectious diseases
Interferon alpha-2
Interferon-alpha
Interferon-alpha - therapeutic use
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Recombinant Proteins
RNA, Viral - analysis
RNA, Viral - genetics
Therapy response monitoring
Viral diseases
Viral hepatitis
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Summary:Background/Aim: Virus-host interactions may have pathogenetic significance in chronic hepatitis. Thus the humoral immune response was evaluated during the clinical course of HCV-infected patients. Methods: Eighteen selected chronic HCV patients received three doses of 3 or 6 MU interferon-α2a weekly for 6 to 12 months and were followed up for 6 to 60 months. Anti-HCV antibody levels were serially measured either in end-point diluted sera with the Matrix-Assay or with quantitative anti-HC34-IgG and -IgM ELISA. Circulating immune complexes were assessed by flow cytometry and the results were correlated with histology, quantitative HCV-RNA levels and genotypes. Results: Nine complete responders (CR; genotypes 1a n=4; 1b n=1; 2a n=1; 3a n=3) showing sustained virus elimination and ALT normalisation had low HCV-RNA pretreatment levels (mean 14x10 3copies/ml) compared to six nonresponders and three partial responders (NR/PR; genotypes 1a n=2; 1b n=7) who had significantly higher HCV-RNA pretreatment levels (mean 254x10 3copies/ml; p
ISSN:0168-8278
1600-0641
DOI:10.1016/S0168-8278(96)80114-0