B-cells and mixed cryoglobulinemia.
Mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) is a systemic small-vessel vasculitis; B-cell expansion is the biological substrate of the disease. It can be regarded as benign lymphoproliferative condition that may evolve to frank lymphoma. HCV infection is the main causative factor of MC, as well as of other overlapping disorders, through multifactorial and multistep pathogenetic process. HCV-related B-cell proliferation represents an important model of virus-driven autoimmune/neoplastic disorder. The term HCV syndrome is referred to a wide spectrum of both hepatic and extrahepatic disorders. The present review analyzes the complex virological, clinico-pathological, and therapeutic implications of B-cell proliferation, with or without HCV infection, in MC patients.
Ferri
Clodoveo
C
Chair and Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Modena & Reggio E., Medical School, Modena, Italy. clferri@unimore.it
Antonelli
Alessandro
A
Mascia
Maria Teresa
MT
Sebastiani
Marco
M
Fallahi
Poupak
P
Ferrari
Daniela
D
Giunti
Marco
M
Pileri
Stefano A
SA
Zignego
Anna Linda
AL
D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D013577:Syndrome