title: Detection of specific antibodies to HCV-ARF/CORE+1 protein in patients treated with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause for chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. The HCV-ARF/core+1 protein is an alternative product of HCV core-encoding sequence of unknown biological function. Highly purified HCV core and ARF/core+1 recombinant proteins from HCV genotype 1a and HCV-ARF/core+1 recombinant protein from HCV genotype 3a were expressed in Escherichia coli. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we assessed the prevalence of anti-ARF/core+1 antibodies in 90 chronic hepatitis C patients infected with HCV genotypes 1a/1b or 3a, treated with pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN-a-2a) plus ribavirin. Samples derived from 92 healthy blood donors were used as negative controls. All HCV-RNA-positive serum samples reacted with core 1a antigen, while 15 (37.5%) of 40 and 14 (28%) of 50 patients infected with HCV-1a/1b and HCV-3a, respectively, were found to have anti-ARF/core+1 antibodies into their serum before treatment initiation. These antibodies were persistently present during treatment follow-up and linked to elevated levels of HCV-RNA at baseline.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karamitros
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kakkanas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katsoulidou
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sypsa
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dalagiorgou
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mavromara
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hatzakis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; C433031:hepatitis C protein F, Hepatitis C virus; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a