Changes in serum fibrogenesis markers during interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis type C.
We serially measured the levels of serum N-terminal peptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP), the 7S domain of type IV collagen (IV-7S), and hyaluronate (HA) before (0 month), at the end (6 months), and 24 weeks after the end of interferon therapy (12 months) in patients with chronic hepatitis type C to estimate the effects of interferon alfa (IFN-alpha) on serum levels of hepatic fibrogenesis markers. One hundred twenty-one patients with chronic hepatitis type C received intramuscular injection of 6 million U of natural IFN-alpha for 24 weeks. Patients were divided into three groups: sustained complete response (CR-S), complete response with rebound (CR-R), and nonresponse (NR). Serum PIIINP, IV-7S, and HA levels were significantly decreased and reached normal levels at 12 months in CR-S; only IV-7S levels were significantly decreased at 12 months in CR-R, whereas these levels remained abnormally high in the NR. These results suggest that IFN-alpha therapy could lower the levels of serum hepatic fibrogenesis markers along with improvements in hepatic inflammation.
Ishibashi
K
K
Department of Medicine, Osaka Koseinenkin Hospital, Japan.
Kashiwagi
T
T
Ito
A
A
Tanaka
Y
Y
Nagasawa
M
M
Toyama
T
T
Ozaki
S
S
Naito
M
M
Azuma
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003094:Collagen / Q000097:blood*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D007249:Inflammation; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011347:Procollagen / Q000097:blood*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors
D015415:Biomarkers; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011347:Procollagen; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D003094:Collagen