Correlation between serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and ferritin in male blood donors with antibody to hepatitis C virus.
Chronic hepatitis C has been demonstrated to be associated with hepatic iron overload, and the hypothesis that the disease activity of hepatitis C is associated with iron cytotoxicity was tested in male volunteer blood donors. Sera with either antibody to hepatitis C virus or hepatitis B surface antigen were selected for determination of ferritin concentration and alanine aminotransferase activity. A correlation between serum ferritin concentration (Y; microgram/l) and alanine aminotransferase activity (X; IU/l) was found in donors with antibody to hepatitis C (log Y = 0.65 x log X + 0.98, r = 0.53, and P < 0.01). The correlation was lower in donors with hepatitis B surface antigen (r = 0.37; P < 0.01). Hepatitis C virus infection probably induces time-dependent iron accumulation associated with the progression of disease activity, while hepatitis B virus infection results in a variety of iron loads with different clinical features. The high disease activity related to hyperferritinemia suggests the presence of iron-induced liver damage in donors with hepatitis C.
Takikawa
T
T
Research Laboratory for Development of Medicine, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokuriku University, Kanazawa, Japan.
Hayashi
H
H
Nishimura
N
N
Yano
M
M
Isomura
T
T
Sakamoto
N
N
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D001782:Blood Donors; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D005293:Ferritins; D000410:Alanine Transaminase