title: Underlying pathophysiology of HCV infection in HIV-positive drug users.
abstract: HCV and HIV infections are very common among injection drug users (IDUs). It is well known that 80-90% of HIV-infected IDUs are also infected with HCV. Furthermore, patients with HCV/HIV co-infection are at a higher risk of progressing to end-stage liver disease, namely cirrhosis. Even though there is increasing global awareness of HCV/HIV co-infection and extended therapeutic programs for this infected population, little is known about the HCV/HIV pathophysiology that mediates the rapid progression to hepatic disease. Liver disease caused by HCV/HIV co-infection is characterized by inflammation and cell-death. Recent reports suggest that the HIV and HCV envelope proteins may induce apoptosis and inflammation in hepatocytes via a novel pathway involving collaborative signaling. Moreover, HCV/HIV co-infection may also alter the cytokine production in vivo. Further studies to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of HCV and HIV-mediated pathogenesis will help in the development of therapeutic strategies against HCV/HIV co-infection in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Experimental Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Anuradha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balasubramanian
authors.forename: Jerome E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Groopman
authors.forename: Ramesh K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Ganju
mesh_terms: D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D016923:Cell Death; D018450:Disease Progression; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens