title: Soluble TRAIL levels decreased in chronic hepatitis C treatment with pegylated interferon α plus ribavirin: association with viral responses.
abstract: The molecular mechanisms and pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection are unclear. Innate immune cells such as natural killer (NK) cells and dendritic cells are responsible from molecular mechanism of CHC. NK cell cytotoxicity such as TRAIL expression is important pathway for viral clearance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between HCV RNA and sTRAIL levels during the first 12 weeks of Peg-IFNα and ribavirin treatment. Twelve treatment naive patients with CHC treated with Peg-INFα and ribavirin were included in this study. Circulating sTRAIL and HCV RNA levels were measured at baseline, 4th and 12th week of treatment and their correlation was investigated. sTRAIL and HCV RNA levels decreased gradually with Peg-INFα plus ribavirin treatment. The differences were significant between day 0, 4th week and 12th week of treatment. The expression of sTRAIL was correlated with HCV RNA level at baseline, at 4th and 12th week of treatment (P = 0.021 P = 0.012, P = 0.001 respectively). IFN binds to its receptor on the infected hepatocyte surface during Peg-IFNα and ribavirin treatment. So the polarized phenotype of NK cell is not displayed and NK cell cytotoxicity such as TRAIL expression is blocked. We suggest that the decreased level of circulating sTRAIL may reflect increased binding to its ligand expressed on hepatocyte and decreased TRAIL production under the influence of Peg-IFNα plus ribavirin treatment. Therefore TRAIL may be probably a immunologically predictive factor such as HCV RNA during treatment.
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Antalya Education and Research Hospital Antalya, Turkey.
authors: Derya
authors: D
authors: Seyman
authors: Near East University, Internal Medicine, Allergy and Clinical Immunology Nicosia Cyprus.
authors: Arzu Didem
authors: AD
authors: Yalcin
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Antalya Education and Research Hospital Antalya, Turkey.
authors: Nefise
authors: N
authors: Oztoprak
authors: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Akdeniz University Medical Faculty Antalya, Turkey.
authors: Gizem Esra
authors: GE
authors: Genc
authors: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Antalya Public Health Institution Antalya, Turkey.
authors: Nevgun Sepin
authors: NS
authors: Ozen
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Antalya Education and Research Hospital Antalya, Turkey.
authors: Filiz
authors: F
authors: Kizilates
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Antalya Education and Research Hospital Antalya, Turkey.
authors: Hande
authors: H
authors: Berk
authors: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Akdeniz University Medical Faculty Antalya, Turkey.
authors: Saadet
authors: S
authors: Gumuslu
keywords: HCV RNA; chronic hepatit C; interferon; sTRAIL