Reduced in vitro immunoglobulin secretion from peripheral blood mononuclear cells in responders to high-dose interferon-alpha 2b treatment for chronic hepatitis C.
OBJECTIVE
Immunological status has been considered to correlate to the response to interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis C. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between humoral immunity and long-term response to interferon treatment for chronic hepatitis C.


METHODS
Seventy-one patients with chronic hepatitis C received 10 million units of interferon-alpha 2b three times a week for 24 weeks. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were obtained before interferon-alpha 2b was administered and were cultured for 7 days. Immunoglobulin concentration in the culture supernatants was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and correlation with the response to the therapy was evaluated.


RESULTS
Serum ALT levels normalized in 51.4% and hepatitis C virus RNA disappeared in 35.7% six months after the end of therapy. Immunoglobulin production was significantly lower in the patients in whom serum ALT levels normalized than those in whom serum ALT levels remained elevated. The similar result was obtained when efficacy was evaluated on the basis of hepatitis C virus RNA disappearance.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the less humoral immunity, the better response to interferon will be obtained in patients with chronic hepatitis C, meaning that the balance in T-helper function is one of key factors in the response to interferon treatment.
Atsukawa
K
K
Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
Saito
H
H
Ebinuma
H
H
Morizane
T
T
Takahashi
M
M
Ohishi
T
T
Kumagai
N
N
Tsuchimoto
K
K
Ishii
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019562:Viral Load
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000410:Alanine Transaminase