title: Clastogenic factors as biomarkers of oxidative stress in chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Clastogenic factors (CFs) are composed of lipid peroxidation products, cytokines and other oxidants with chromosome-damaging properties. They are regularly observed after radiation exposure and in chronic inflammatory diseases, where they are supposed to be risk factors for carcinogenesis. It appeared of interest to investigate their presence in the plasma of patients with chronic hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  CFs are detected by chromosomal breakage studies. They were compared to malondialdehyde (MDA), total plasma thiols (t-SH), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), viral load and histological data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CFs were increased in 19 of 20 patients, 16 had increased MDA levels and 15 had decreased t-SH levels. Mean values were significantly different from the 20 controls (p<0.001). After the first 3 months of interferon treatment, all three markers showed significant improvement, but were not completely normalized. There was a positive correlation between CFs and necroinflammatory activity (p<0.03), while MDA was correlated with fibrosis (p<0.03). Viral load was correlated with necrosis and inflammation (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of CFs in chronic hepatitis C confirms the occurrence of oxidative stress in this disease and could be useful in clinical trials for testing antioxidants. The CF test is a sensitive assay for the detection of oxidative stress and correlates with necroinflammatory activity.
authors.affiliation: Institut Santé et Développement, Université de Paris VI, Paris, France.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Emerit
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Serejo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Filipe
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alaoui Youssefi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ramalho
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baptista
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carneiro de Moura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D007372:Interferons / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D009153:Mutagens / Q000032:analysis*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D009153:Mutagens; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D007372:Interferons