Quantitative analysis of antibodies to hepatitis C virus during interferon-alpha therapy.
We quantified IgG antibodies to structural (core) and nonstructural (C100-3) hepatitis C virus proteins in 42 patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with a 6-mo course of interferon-alpha. Sera were drawn before and at the end of therapy and also 6 mo after therapy withdrawal; they were stored for later analysis of antibodies and serum hepatitis C virus RNA. Sustained virus clearance was observed at the end of therapy and 6 mo after therapy withdrawal in nine cases; it was accompanied with sustained reductions of antibody to hepatitis C virus core protein and antibody to C100-3 protein. A sustained reduction of antibody to hepatitis C virus core protein was specific to sustained virus clearance, although that of antibody to C100-3 protein was not. None of the patients who did not show reductions of levels of both antibodies at the end of therapy displayed sustained virus clearance. Five patients showed hepatitis C virus RNA negativity and normal aminotransferase levels at the end of therapy without reduction of antibody to hepatitis C virus core protein levels. Of these five patients, relapse of hepatitis occurred in four, and viremia was present 6 mo after therapy withdrawal in all cases. These results demonstrate that testing for antibody titers may add information for evaluating virus clearance after interferon therapy.
Yuki
N
N
First Department of Medicine, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
Hayashi
N
N
Hagiwara
H
H
Takehara
T
T
Katayama
K
K
Kasahara
A
A
Fusamoto
H
H
Kamada
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000628:therapy*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000276:immunology
D000956:Antigens, Viral; C064544:C100 protein, hepatitis C virus; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins