title: Virological analysis and phenotypic characterization of peripheral blood lymphocytes of hepatitis C virus-infected patients with and without mixed cryoglobulinaemia.
abstract: In clinical and pathological terms hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients can be subdivided into two main groups with and without mixed cryoglobulinaemia (MC). Involvement of blood mononuclear cells by HCV has potentially important implications. To this end, HCV-RNA levels in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) preparations of 20 chronically HCV-infected patients with MC were measured and compared with those found in a group of 20 patients without MC matched for age, serum HCV-RNA, infectious genotype, source and presumable duration of infection. Phenotypic abnormalities of PBL subsets in each group of patients were determined by cell surface marker expression and compared. Results showed a significant enrichment of HCV-RNA in PBL of MC patients compared with a non-MC group (P = 0.01). Different distribution of HCV-RNA was accompanied by evidence of an increased frequency of circulating B cells. These data indicate that MC patients are characterized distinctly by a higher quota of cell-associated viral load.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Section of Internal Medicine and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari Medical School, Bari, Italy. d.sansonno@dimo.uniba.it
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sansonno
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lauletta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montrone
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Tucci
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nisi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dammacco
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D006680:HLA Antigens; D012367:RNA, Viral