Impairment of IFN-alpha production capacity in patients with hepatitis C virus and the risk of the development of hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the utility of interferon (IFN)-alpha production capacity in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection for the measurement of immuno-surveillance potential and for the early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by investigating the Sendai virus (HVJ) stimulated IFN-alpha production capacity of patients with HCV infection.


METHODS
HVJ stimulated IFN-alpha production was determined in a large number of patients with HCV infection and the development of HCC was monitored for 3 years in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC).


RESULTS
IFN-alpha production capacity decreases gradually with the progression of liver disease from chronic hepatitis (CH) to HCC. A significant correlation between the duration of HCV infection and impaired IFN-alpha production capacity was observed. IFN-alpha production in patients who developed HCC within 3 years was significantly lower than that of patients who remained in LC without developing HCC.


CONCLUSIONS
Measurement of IFN-alpha production in LC patients may be useful for the early detection of HCC.
Uno
Kazuko
K
Louis Pasteur Center for Medical Research, 103-5 Tanaka-monzen-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606, Japan. kazukouno@louis-pasteur.or.jp
Suginoshita
Yoshiki
Y
Kakimi
Kazuhiro
K
Moriyasu
Fuminori
F
Hirosaki
Mayumi
M
Shirakawa
Taro
T
Kishida
Tsunataro
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D029082:Sendai virus / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors
D016898:Interferon-alpha