[Viral breakthrough and neutralizing anti-interferon antibody production in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with recombinant interferon-alpha].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship of virological breakthrough and production of neutralizing anti-interferon antibody (NAb) in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with recombinant interferon-alpha (rIFN-alpha).


METHODS
Four hundred eighty-five patients with histological proven chronic hepatitis B were treated with 5 MU recombinant interferon-alpha 1b (rIFN-alpha1b) thrice weekly for 6-37 months (median 10). Serum HBV DNA, HBeAg and NAb levels of the patients were detected by fluorescent-quantitative PCR, enzymoimmunoassay and antiviral neutralizing biological assay respectively during the therapy.


RESULTS
Virological breakthrough occurred in 66 patients (13.6%), and NAb was found in 98 patients (20.2%) of the total 485 patients. The rate of NAb positivity was higher in patients with viral breakthrough than those without it (68.2%, 45/66, vs 12.6%, 53/419, chi(2)=109.06, P < 0.01), and viral breakthrough occurred more in patients with positive NAb than with negative NAb (45.9%, 45/98, vs 5.4%, 21/387, chi(2)=109.06, P < 0.01). The time of the viral breakthrough occurrence and the time of NAb production had a significant correlation (P < 0.01). The occurrence of viral breakthrough was also influenced by the age of patients (P < 0.05) and HBeAg status (P < 0.01) before they were treated.


CONCLUSIONS
Viral breakthrough occurred in 13.6% of our 485 chronic hepatitis B patients treated with recombinant interferon-alpha. Their viral breakthrough and production of NAb production had a significant correlation.
Liu
Ding-li
DL
Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
Luo
Kang-xian
KX
Feng
Xiao-rong
XR
Zhang
Ming-xia
MX
Hou
Jin-lin
JL
D000328:Adult; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D055815:Young Adult
D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D007370:Interferon Type I; D011994:Recombinant Proteins