title: IgM and IgA antibodies generated against hepatitis C virus core antigen in patients with acute and chronic HCV infection.
abstract: Antibody subclasses directed against the core protein (HCc) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) were measured in 27 patients with acute non-A, non-B (NANB) hepatitis, and 99 patients with chronic HCV-associated liver disease. IgM, IgA, and IgG anti-HCc responses were observed in 11 (40.7%), 7 (25.9%), and 18 (67%) patients with acute NANB hepatitis, respectively. Twenty-four (24.2%) and 40 (40.4%) patients with chronic HCV infection also had detectable IgM and IgA, respectively. IgM anti-HCc inconsistently detected acute infection, and HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) could be detected preceding the rise in anti-HCc antibodies in five consecutive patients with acute hepatitis. IgM anti-HCc also could not distinguish acute from chronic infection and did not correlate with histologic progression. However, the form of IgA present (polymeric vs monomeric) did discriminate acute from chronic infection and the IgA anti-HCc titer correlated with histologic evidence of liver disease in patients with chronic HCV infection.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujiyama
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Taura
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yasuo
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D012367:RNA, Viral