title: Effect of interferon therapy on fatty acid saturation index in hepatitis C virus infection.
abstract: The ratio of stearic to oleic acids, i.e. the fatty acid saturation index, in red blood cell membranes was assayed in 60 patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection before and after interferon-alpha therapy. Results were compared with 20 healthy controls. Hepatitis C virus titre was also assayed before and after interferon-alpha therapy. Within 2-5 months following interferon-alpha therapy, a significant inverse correlation was observed between saturation index and hepatitis C virus load. We conclude that hepatitis C virus infection enhances the degree of desaturation of 18-carbon fatty acids and that interferon-alpha is involved in their metabolism by increasing the degree of saturation and subsequent decrease in membrane fluidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cairo, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Abdel Aziz
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Abdel-Ghaffar
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Fouad
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Abdel Aziz
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: el-Magd
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002845:Chromatography; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008560:Membrane Fluidity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009829:Oleic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013229:Stearic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D013230:Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D009829:Oleic Acids; D013229:Stearic Acids; D012254:Ribavirin; D013230:Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase