Expression of bcl-2 protein in chronic hepatitis C: effect of interferon alpha 2b with ribavirin therapy.
OBJECTIVE
Mechanisms responsible for persistence of HCV infection and liver damage in chronic hepatitis C are not clear. Apoptosis is an important form of host immune response against viral infections. Anti-apoptotic protein bcl-2 expression on liver tissue as well as the influence of interferon alpha 2b (IFNalpha2b) and ribavirin (RBV) were analyzed in patients with chronic hepatitis C.


METHODS
In 30 patients with chronic hepatitis C (responders--R and non-responders--NR) treated with IFNalpha2b+RBV, protein bcl-2 was determined in hepatocytes and in liver associated lymphocytes before and after the treatment.


RESULTS
The treatment diminished bcl-2 protein accumulation in liver cells in patients with hepatitis C (P<0.05). Before and after the therapy, we detected bcl-2 protein in R in 87+/-15% and 83+/-20% of hepatocytes and in 28+/-18% and 26+/-10% of liver-associated lymphocytes, respectively. In NR, the values before treatment decreased from 94+/-32% to 88+/-21% of hepatocytes and 39+/-29% to 28+/-12% of lymphocytes with bcl-2 expression. There was no statistical correlation between bcl-2 expression on liver tissue with inflammatory activity, fibrosis and biochemical parameters before and after the treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
IFNalpha2b+RBV treatment, by bcl-2 protein expression decrease, enables apoptosis of hepatocytes and associated liver lymphocytes, which in turn eliminate hepatitis C viruses.
Anatol
Panasiuk
P
Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Bialystok, Zurawia Str, 14, 15-540 Bialystok, Poland. apanasiuk@wp.pl
Danuta
Prokopowicz
P
Janusz
Dzieciol
D
Bozena
Panasiuk
P
D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001706:Biopsy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin