Immunological response to interferon-gamma priming prior to interferon-alpha treatment in refractory chronic hepatitis C in relation to viral clearance.
J Viral Hepat
; 8(3): 180-5, 2001 May.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-11380795
The aim of this study was to clarify the immunological and virological responses to pre-administration of interferon-gamma prior to initiation of interferon-alpha treatment in patients with refractory chronic hepatitis C. Twenty-two nonresponders to 6-months of IFN-alpha treatment were enrolled. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype was Ib in all. Natural IFN-gamma (1 MIU/day) was administered daily for 14 days followed by natural IFN-alpha (5 MIU/day) daily for 14 days and then three times weekly for 22 weeks. Serum immunological parameters (IL-10, neopterin, BMG, sCD8, sCD4, IL-6, IL-12) were measured as were the levels of several cytokines (IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10). Three patients dropped out; two because of the occurrence of other diseases and one because of an adverse effect. At the end of the period of IFN-alpha treatment, HCV-RNA had become negative in six of 19 patients (end-of treatment response; ETR). Six months after the completion of IFN administration, a virological sustained response (SR) was seen in two of 19 patients. The mean serum levels of IL-10 were significantly decreased 6 weeks after the start of treatment. Other immunological parameter levels increased significantly during the period of IFN-gamma administration, and tended to return to the pretreatment level after the start of IFN-alpha administration. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that the initial change in the levels of these parameters or the change in the ratios of Th1/Th2 parameter levels are useful factors indicative of the end of the treatment response. These findings suggest that priming with IFN-gamma prior to the initiation of IFN-alpha treatment in patients with refractory chronic hepatitis C can modulate the host immune response and this might contribute to viral clearance.
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Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Antivirales
/
Interferón gamma
/
Interferón-alfa
/
Hepacivirus
/
Hepatitis C Crónica
Tipo de estudio:
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Viral Hepat
Asunto de la revista:
GASTROENTEROLOGIA
Año:
2001
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Japón
Pais de publicación:
Reino Unido