Anti-c100 antibodies to hepatitis C virus in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection treated with interferon.
To assess the role of anti-c100 antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-c100 HCV) in the response to interferon (IFN) administered to patients for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, we assayed serum anti-c100 HCV serially by means of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit and titrated anti-c100 HCV level by a radioimmunoassay (RIA) kit in 28 IFN-treated and 20 untreated patients with chronic hepatitis C. IFN-alpha or -beta was administered for 4 to 12 weeks, and the patients were observed for over 24 months. The IFN-treated patients were divided into 3 groups (4 sustained responders, 18 transient responders, and 6 non-responders) in accordance with their responses on the basis of the serum alanine aminotransferase levels. In three of the four sustained responders whose HCV-RNA decreased, anti-c100 HCV became negative at 13, 15, and 17 months after beginning the IFN therapy. The 18 transient responders and 6 non-responders remained positive for anti-c100 HCV throughout the observation period. In all four sustained responders the anti-c100 HCV titer decreased significantly with time after initiation of the therapy, whereas the titer fluctuated in the other groups. These findings suggest that monitoring the serum anti-c100 HCV level is useful in assessing the effects of IFN therapy on chronic hepatitis C.
Second Dept. of Internal Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.
Y
Y
Nakano
K
K
Kiyosawa
T
T
Sodeyama
E
E
Tanaka
K
K
Yoshizawa
K
K
Furuta
Y
Y
Nakatsuji
A
A
Urushihara
S
S
Furuta
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000032:analysis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004796:Clinical Enzyme Tests; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D007370:Interferon Type I; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C078224:anti-C100-3; D000410:Alanine Transaminase