GB virus C RNA in serum, liver, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with chronic hepatitis B, C, and D.
OBJECTIVE
No conclusive data about GB virus C (GBV-C) tropism are available. We have studied the presence of genomic and antigenomic GBV-C RNA in serum, liver, and peripheral blood cells of 56 patients with chronic hepatitis B, C, or D virus infection.


METHODS
Genomic and antigenomic GBV-C RNA were detected by reverse-transcription nested polymerase chain reaction. Specificity was confirmed by sequencing, by chemical modification of the RNA, and by using tagged primers.


RESULTS
Genomic GBV-C RNA was found in 10 of 56 (18%) of the sera. In contrast, antigenomic strand was not detected. The sequence of the amplified GBV-C RNA from 3 patients showed a 96% homology among them and from 83% to 88% with previously described isolates. Genomic GBV-C RNA was found in 7 of 7 liver samples of the patients with serum GBV-C RNA. In 6 of these 7 patients (85%), antigenomic strand was found. Genomic RNA was found in 7 of 7 of the peripheral blood cell samples of the same 7 patients. Antigenomic GBV-C RNA was not found in these cells.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that GBV-C is a hepatotropic virus that replicates in the human liver. The data do not support a role for GBV-C in chronic liver disease.
Madejón
A
A
Department of Hepatology, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain.
Fogeda
M
M
Bartolomé
J
J
Pardo
M
M
González
C
C
Cotonat
T
T
Carreńo
V
V
D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004265:DNA Helicases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005784:Gene Amplification; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020365:RNA Helicases; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases
D004265:DNA Helicases; D020365:RNA Helicases; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; C060028:NS3 protein, flavivirus; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases