title: Hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ and α-mRNA expression in HCV-infected adults is decreased by HIV co-infection and is also affected by ethnicity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α and γ mRNA expression in liver tissue of hepatitis C virus-infected patients with and without human immunodeficiency virus and its possible contribution to an acceleration of liver disease progression.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α and γ mRNA expression by real-time polymerase chain reaction in liver tissues from 40 subjects infected only with hepatitis C virus, 36 subjects co-infected with hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus and 11 normal adults.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hepatic mRNA expression of both peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors was significantly lower in hepatitis C virus-infected subjects with and without human immunodeficiency virus co-infection compared to the controls. Non-black race was also identified as a predictor of lower peroxisome receptor α and γ mRNA expression. Compared to subjects infected only with hepatitis C virus, liver peroxisome receptor γ mRNA expression was significantly lower in hepatitis C virus/human immunodeficiency virus-co-infected subjects (0.0092 in hepatitis C virus/human immunodeficiency virus-co-infection vs. 0.0120 in hepatitis C virus-only; p=0.004). Hepatic peroxisome receptor α mRNA expression in the hepatitis C virus-infected patients was lower in the presence of human immunodeficiency virus co-infection in non-black subjects (0.0769 vs. 0.1061; p=0.02), whereas the levels did not vary based on human immunodeficiency virus status among black subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  mRNA expression of both peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors is impaired in hepatitis C virus-infected liver and further reduced by human immunodeficiency virus co-infection, although the suppressive effects of the viruses are substantially mitigated in black patients.
authors.affiliation: Medical Center Boulevard, Section on Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston Salem, NC, United States.
authors.forename: Nathan J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Shores
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Referência em Doenças Infecciosas, Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Cássia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Mendes-Corrêa
authors.affiliation: Istituto Malattie Infettive e Parassitarie, Universitè degli Studi Sassari, Sassari/SS, Italy.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Maida
authors.affiliation: Medical Center Boulevard, Section on Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston Salem, NC, United States.
authors.forename: JoLyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: Medical Center Boulevard, Section on Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston Salem, NC, United States.
authors.forename: Kevin P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: High
authors.affiliation: Istituto Malattie Infettive e Parassitarie, Universitè degli Studi Sassari, Sassari/SS, Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Babudieri
authors.affiliation: Medical Center Boulevard, Section on Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston Salem, NC, United States.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Núãez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001706:Biopsy; D060085:Coinfection / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D047493:PPAR alpha / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012016:Reference Values; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D047493:PPAR alpha; D047495:PPAR gamma; D012333:RNA, Messenger