6533b835fe1ef96bd129e9f0

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Increased circulating and intrahepatic T-cell-specific chemokines in chronic hepatitis C: relationship with the type of virological response to peginterferon plus ribavirin combination therapy

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description

Summary Aims : To determine the serum and intrahepatic levels of T-helper-1-associated chemokines in patients with chronic hepatitis C before, during and after peginterferon plus ribavirin combination therapy and to search for correlations with baseline characteristics of hepatitis C virus-related chronic liver disease and type of therapeutic response. Methods : Serum chemokine levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and intrahepatic chemokine messenger RNA and protein levels were tested by ribonuclease protection assay and immunohistochemistry. Results : Serum and intrahepatic chemokine levels were elevated in all patients with chronic hepatitis C and showed a marked decrease in patients who obtained a virological response vs. non-responders. Increased serum interferon-γ-inducible protein-10 levels at baseline in genotype 1-infected patients were significantly associated with greater degrees of intrahepatic inflammation and fibrosis (P = 0.0046 and P = 0.02, respectively) and with virological non-response (P = 0.01). In patients with genotype 1, basal serum interferon-γ-inducible protein-10 levels greater than 299 pg/mL identified 80% of non-responders and lower than 299 pg/mL identified 63% of responders. Conclusions : Circulating and intrahepatic T-helper-1-associated chemokines are abnormally elevated in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Increased baseline serum interferon-γ-inducible protein-10 levels in genotype 1-infected patients are associated with virological non-response to peginterferon plus ribavirin combination therapy.