Cell adhesion molecules and hyaluronic acid as markers of inflammation, fibrosis and response to antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis C patients.
OBJECTIVE
Cell adhesion molecules (intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1)) and hyaluronic acid, markers of inflammation and fibrosis were monitored in hepatitis C patients to determine whether changes in plasma levels, during antiviral treatment, can predict long-term response to therapy.


METHODS
In 55 patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV), 33 treated with interferon (IFN) and 22 treated with IFN + ribavirin, sera was collected prior to treatment, at 3 + 6 months of therapy and 6 months post-treatment. Levels of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and hyaluronic acid were correlated with alanine aminotransferase levels, HCV-RNA-polymerase chain reaction status and histological fibrosis scoring.


RESULTS
A decrease in ICAM-1 levels at 3 and 6 months of therapy, compared with pretreatment levels, was observed in responders to IFN + ribavirin therapy but this decrease in ICAM-1 levels was not evident following cessation of treatment. Hyaluronic acid levels, in both treatment groups, did not differ significantly between responders and non-responders. Hyaluronic acid levels did correlate, significantly, with degree of fibrosis whereas VCAM-1 levels were marginally increased only in patients with moderate (grade III) fibrosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Monitoring of VCAM-1 and hyaluronic acid, during antiviral therapy, does not differentiate between responders and non-responders. A decrease in ICAM-1 levels during IFN + ribavirin treatment is associated with response to therapy, and its efficacy in predicting long-term response should be further substantiated.
Granot
E
E
Pediatric Gastroenterology Unit, Pediatrics Department, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, PO. Box 12000, Jerusalem 91120, Israel. etgranot@md2.huji.ac.il
Shouval
D
D
Ashur
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism*; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017211:Treatment Failure; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism*
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D007370:Interferon Type I; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D012254:Ribavirin; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid