title: Immune-mediated complications of the graft in interferon-treated hepatitis C positive liver transplant recipients.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) re-infection of the graft is universal and interferon based antiviral therapy remains at present the treatment of choice in HCV liver transplant recipients. Apart from the antiviral effects, interferon and ribavirin have both potent immunomodulatory properties resulting in a broad range of immune-related disorders including acute cellular rejection and chronic ductopenic rejection as well as de novo autoimmune hepatitis. Further complicating the picture, HCV infection per se is associated with a variety of autoimmune phenomena. We discuss here the immune-mediated complications and their relationship to chronic HCV and interferon based antiviral therapy.
authors.affiliation: University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. nazia.selzner@uhn.on.ca
authors.forename: Nazia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Selzner
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guindi
authors.forename: Eberhard L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Renner
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berenguer
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery*; D019693:Hepatitis, Autoimmune / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D018448:Models, Immunological; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007372:Interferons