Evaluation of efficacy and safety of thymus humoral factor-gamma 2 in the management of chronic hepatitis B.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the antiviral and immunomodulatory effects of a combination treatment using thymus humoral factor-gamma 2 and alpha-interferon in patients with chronic hepatitis B in whom previous monotherapy with interferon had failed.


METHODS
Nine HBeAg and HBV-DNA seropositive patients received thymus humoral factor-gamma 2 alone for 2 months, thymus humoral factor-gamma 2 plus alpha-interferon for 2 months and finally alpha-interferon alone for 2 months.


RESULTS
Treatment with thymus humoral factor-gamma 2 alone was not associated with any side effects. The interferon-induced lymphopenia was significantly less marked during the combined therapy in comparison to the previous course with interferon alone (mean reduction of lymphocyte counts 33.5 +/- 11.6% versus 56.3 +/- 16.7%, respectively, p < 0.05). The combination of thymus humoral factor-gamma 2 plus interferon showed a significantly more profound inhibition of serum HBV-DNA (mean reduction from the pretreatment level 90.6 +/- 13.3%) compared to the earlier monotherapy with interferon in the same patients (mean reduction 55.5 +/- 34.7%, p < 0.01). As a result of the combined thymus humoral factor-gamma 2 plus alpha-interferon regimen three out of nine patients became HBV-DNA negative and seroconverted to anti-HBe. Thymus humoral factor-gamma 2 appears to exert mainly a functional effect on T lymphocytes, as interleukin-2 production was increased in the majority of treated patients, whilst the expression of lymphocyte activation markers remained unchanged.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that thymus humoral factor-gamma 2 may be useful in a combined therapeutic approach in chronic HBV carriers.
Institute of Liver Studies, King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, UK.
B A
BA
Farhat
G
G
Marinos
H M
HM
Daniels
N V
NV
Naoumov
R
R
Williams
D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013951:Thymus Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors
D016207:Cytokines; D004279:DNA, Viral; D004338:Drug Combinations; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D009842:Oligopeptides; D013951:Thymus Hormones; C064563:thymic humoral factor gamma 2