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Tumor necrosis factor alpha gene expression and the response to interferon in chronic hepatitis C.
- Source :
-
Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.) [Hepatology] 1996 Feb; Vol. 23 (2), pp. 210-7. - Publication Year :
- 1996
-
Abstract
- Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) is a cytokine with pleiotropic properties that is induced in a variety of pathological situations including viral infections. In this work, we analyzed the expression of TNF-alpha gene in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Serum TNF-alpha levels were found to be elevated in all chronic hepatitis C patients including those cases presenting sustained biochemical remission of the disease after interferon therapy. Untreated patients with chronic hepatitis C showed increased TNF-alpha messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in the liver and mononuclear cells as compared with healthy controls. After completion of treatment with interferon, patients experiencing sustained complete response showed values of TNF-alpha mRNA, both in the liver and in peripheral mononuclear cells, within the normal range, significantly lower than patients who did not respond to interferon and than those with complete response who relapsed after interferon withdrawal. Pretreatment values of TNF-alpha mRNA were lower in long-term responders to interferon than in cases who failed to respond to the treatment. Values of TNF-alpha mRNA in the liver or in mononuclear cells were higher in specimens with positive hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA than in those samples where the virus was undetectable. Neither the intensity of the liver damage nor the amount of HCV RNA in serum or in cells showed correlation with the levels of TNF-alpha transcripts in peripheral mononuclear cells but it was found that high TNF-alpha values were associated with genotype 1b. In conclusion, there is an enhanced expression of TNF-alpha in HCV infection. High levels of this cytokine may play a role in the resistance to interferon therapy.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Aged
Base Sequence
Chronic Disease
Female
Hepacivirus genetics
Hepatitis C pathology
Hepatitis C virology
Humans
Liver metabolism
Liver pathology
Liver virology
Male
Middle Aged
Molecular Probes genetics
Molecular Sequence Data
RNA, Messenger genetics
RNA, Messenger metabolism
RNA, Viral metabolism
Gene Expression
Hepatitis C genetics
Hepatitis C therapy
Interferon-alpha therapeutic use
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha genetics
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0270-9139
- Volume :
- 23
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.)
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 8591843
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.510230203