[The influence of interferon alpha neutralizing antibodies on the therapeutic effectiveness in patients with chronic viral hepatitis].
OBJECTIVE
To study the influence of interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) neutralizing antibody (NA) on the therapeutic effectiveness of IFN-alpha.


METHODS
30 healthy persons and 116 patients with chronic viral hepatitis treated with IFN-alpha were studied, and the NA in their sera were tested by using the antiviral neutralizing bioassay (ANB).


RESULTS
None was positive for NA in sera of the healthy persons and patients before IFN-alpha treatment, 20 of 116 patients developed NA after IFN-alpha therapy, the positivity was 17.2% (20/116). NA appeared after 2 months of alpha IFN treatment, all 20 patients were positive after 6 months. The NA positivity in treated groups of IFN-alpha 2a, IFN-alpha 2b and IFN-alpha 1b were 34.6%, 13.2% and 11.5% respectively. The clearance rates of virus in NA-positive group and NA high-titered group were significantly lower than those in NA-negative group and NA low-titered group (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively) In contrast, the relapse rates of virus in NA-positive group was markedly higher than that in NA-negative group (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
NA may develop with its regularity in the chronic viral hepatitis patients treated with alpha IFN. The frequencies of NA development are related with the subtypes of alpha IFN used. NA can inhibit IFN activity, thereby affecting the therapeutic effectiveness of IFN.
Tong
F
F
Institute of Hepatology, Changzhou Third People's Hospital, Changzhou 213001.
Tang
Y
Y
Bai
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009500:Neutralization Tests
D000906:Antibodies; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha