title: Moderate alcohol consumption increases oxidative stress in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: The mechanisms by which alcohol consumption worsens the evolution of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) are poorly understood. We have investigated the possible interaction between hepatitis C virus (HCV) and ethanol in promoting oxidative stress. Circulating IgG against human serum albumin (HSA) adducted with malondialdehyde (MDA-HSA), 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE-HSA), or arachidonic acid hydroperoxide (AAHP-HSA) and against oxidized cardiolipin (Ox-CL) were evaluated as markers of oxidative stress in 145 CHC patients with different alcohol consumption, 20 HCV-free heavy drinkers (HD) without liver disease, and 50 healthy controls. Anti-MDA IgG was increased in CHC patients irrespective of alcohol intake as well as in the HD group. CHC patients with moderate alcohol intake (<50 g ethanol/d), but not HD, also had significantly higher values of anti-AAHP-HSA, anti-HNE-HSA, and anti-Ox-CL IgG (P <.05) than controls. A further elevation (P <.001) of these antibodies was evident in CHC patients with heavy alcohol intake (>50 g ethanol/d). Anti-AAHP and anti-Ox-CL IgG above the 95th percentile in the controls were observed in 24% to 26% of moderate and 58% to 63% of heavy drinkers but only in 6% to 9% of the abstainers. The risk of developing oxidative stress during CHC was increased 3-fold by moderate and 13- to 24-fold by heavy alcohol consumption. Heavy drinking CHC patients had significantly more piecemeal necrosis and fibrosis than abstainers. Diffuse piecemeal necrosis was 4-fold more frequent among alcohol-consuming patients with lipid peroxidation-related antibodies than among those without these antibodies. In conclusion, even moderate alcohol consumption promotes oxidative stress in CHC patients, suggesting a role for oxidative injury in the worsening of CHC evolution by alcohol.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Unit, Ospedale Maggiore della Carità, Novara, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rigamonti
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mottaran
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reale
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rolla
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cipriani
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Capelli
authors.forename: Renzo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boldorini
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vidali
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sartori
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Albano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000378:metabolism*; D000447:Aldehydes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers; D002308:Cardiolipins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000447:Aldehydes; D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D002308:Cardiolipins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012709:Serum Albumin; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; C027576:4-hydroxy-2-nonenal