Serum immunoglobulin G antibodies to the GOR autoepitope are present in patients with occult hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection despite lack of HCV-specific antibodies.
Antibody responses to the GOR autoepitope are frequently detected among anti-hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV)-positive patients with chronic hepatitis. Sera from 110 anti-HCV-negative patients with occult HCV infection, as diagnosed by detection of HCV RNA in hepatic tissue, were investigated for GOR antibody reactivity. A positive test for anti-GOR immunoglobulin G (IgG) was found for 22 (20%) of them. The frequency and titers of anti-GOR IgG were significantly lower than those in chronic hepatitis C patients (70/110, 63.6%; P < 0.001). Anti-GOR IgG was not detected in any of the 120 patients with HCV-unrelated liver disease. The anti-GOR IgG assay showed specificity and sensitivity values of 100% and 20%, respectively, among the sera from patients with occult HCV infection; the positive and negative predictive values were 100% and 44.3%, respectively. None of the clinical, laboratory, or histological characteristics of the patients with occult HCV infection were different according to GOR antibody status, except that the percentage of HCV RNA-positive hepatocytes was significantly greater (P = 0.042) in patients with occult HCV infection who tested positive for anti-GOR IgG. In conclusion, serum anti-GOR IgG is present in patients with occult HCV infection, despite a lack of detectable HCV-specific antibodies as determined by commercial tests. Testing for anti-GOR IgG in patients in whom HCV RNA is not detected in their sera may help with the identification of a subset of patients with occult HCV infection without the need to perform a liver biopsy.
Quiroga
Juan A
JA
Fundación para el Estudio de las Hepatitis Virales, Guzmán el Bueno, 72, 28015 Madrid, Spain.
Castillo
Inmaculada
I
Bartolomé
Javier
J
Carreño
Vicente
V
D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000941:Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000941:Antigens; D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D000939:Epitopes; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C433683:REXO1L1P protein, human
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