title: Serum lipid profile of patients with genotype 1b hepatitis C viral infection in Japan.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with the development of steatosis in the liver. Recently, infection with genotype 3a HCV has been reported to have a closer association with hepatic steatosis than that with genotype 1 or 2 HCV. Moreover, infection with genotype 3a HCV but not with genotype 1 has been shown to be associated with serum hypocholesterolemia or hypobetalipoproteinemia in European countries. We conducted a case control study to characterize the serum lipid profile in patients infected with genotype 1b HCV, which is the most prevalent HCV genotype in Japan. These patients had significantly lower serum cholesterol levels than those infected with HBV or genotype 2a HCV who had similar liver disease progression and body mass index. Further analysis of serum apolipoproteins revealed that not only apolipoprotein B but also apolipoprotein CII and apolipoprotein CIII levels were significantly reduced, while apolipoprotein AI, AII and E levels were similar in patients infected with genotype 1b HCV and those with HBV or genotype 2a HCV. These results indicate that, in Japan, infection with genotype 1b HCV is a cause of lipid metabolism disturbances, which may be associated with the pathogenesis of hepatitis C liver disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Internal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, 113-8655, Tokyo, Japan
authors.forename: Kyoji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moriya
authors.forename: Yoshizumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shintani
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujie
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miyoshi
authors.forename: Takeya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsutsumi
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yotsuyanagi
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iino
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koike