title: HCV infection and B-cell lymphomagenesis.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been recognized as a major cause of chronic liver diseases worldwide. It has been suggested that HCV infects not only hepatocytes but also mononuclear lymphocytes including B cells that express the CD81 molecule, a putative HCV receptor. HCV infection of B cells is the likely cause of B-cell dysregulation disorders such as mixed cryoglobulinemia, rheumatoid factor production, and B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders that may evolve into non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Epidemiological data indicate an association between HCV chronic infection and the occurrence of B-cell NHL, suggesting that chronic HCV infection is associated at least in part with B-cell lymphomagenesis. In this paper, we aim to provide an overview of recent literature, including our own, to elucidate a possible role of HCV chronic infection in B-cell lymphomagenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Research on Blood and Biological Products, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-7-1 Gakuen, MusashiMurayama-shi, Tokyo 208-0011, Japan.
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kusunoki
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mochida
authors.forename: Kazunari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mizuochi