CXCL10 and CCL2 chemokine serum levels in patients with hepatitis C associated with autoimmune thyroiditis.
To evaluate CXCL10 and CCL2 in patients with hepatitis C virus chronic infection in presence/absence of autoimmune thyroiditis (AT). CXCL10 was significantly higher in: (1) patients with AT than controls without AT (control 1) (P < 0.001; ANOVA); (2) patients with hepatitis C infection than control 1 and patients with AT (P < 0.001); (3) patients with hepatitis C virus chronic infection and AT (HCV+AT) than control 1 and patients with AT (P < 0.001) and hepatitis C (P = 0.004). By defining a high CXCL10 level as a value >218 pg/mL, 2% of control 1, 14% of patients with AT, 68% of patients with hepatitis C infection, 81% of HCV+AT had high CXCL10 (P < 0.0001; chi-square). CCL2 was similar in control 1 and patients with AT. CCL2 was significantly higher in: (1) patients with hepatitis C infection than control 1 (P = 0.04; ANOVA); (2) HCV+AT than patients with AT (P = 0.03) and control 1 (P = 0.02); no difference was observed between HCV with or without AT. Our study demonstrates: (1) higher circulating CXCL10 and CCL2 in patients with hepatitis C virus chronic infection than in controls; (2) higher CXCL10 in HCV+AT than in patients with hepatitis C infection, suggesting a stronger Th1 immune response in these patients.
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa School of Medicine, Pisa, Italy. a.antonelli@med.unipi.it
Alessandro
A
Antonelli
Clodoveo
C
Ferri
Poupak
P
Fallahi
Silvia Martina
SM
Ferrari
Silvia
S
Frascerra
Alessandro
A
Pampana
Erica
E
Panicucci
Angelo
A
Carpi
Andrea
A
Nicolini
Ele
E
Ferrannini
D000368:Aged; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001706:Biopsy; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10 / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D018925:Chemokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012698:Serologic Tests; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D014774:Virulence / Q000276:immunology
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; D018925:Chemokines; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies