Interplay between hepatitis C virus and ARF4

Dear Editor, Hepatitis C virus （HCV） is a major cause of chronic liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） with about 71 million people globally infected. HCV encodes only 10 viral proteins and its replication relies on host proteins. Many host factors including ADP-ribosylation factors （ARFs） have been characterized （Tai et al., 2009; Matto et al., 2011; Zhang et al., 2012; Zhang et al., 2016; Zhou and Zhang, 2016）.

Hepatitis C virus infection and insulin resistance

Approximately 170 million people worldwide are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus(HCV).Chronic HCV infection is the leading cause for the development of liver fibrosis,cirrhosis,hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)and is the primary cause for liver transplantation in the western world.Insulin resistance is one of the pathological features in patients with HCV infection and often leads to development of typeⅡdiabetes.Insulin resistance plays an important role in the development of various complications associated with HCV infection.Recent evidence indicates that HCV associated insulin resistance may result in hepatic fibrosis,steatosis,HCC and resistance to anti-viral treatment.Thus,HCV associated insulin resistance is a therapeutic target at any stage of HCV infection.HCV modulates normal cellular gene expression and interferes with the insulin signaling pathway.Various mechanisms have been proposed in regard to HCV mediated insulin resistance,involving up regulation of inflammatory cytokines,like tumor necrosis factor-α,phosphorylation of insulin-receptor substrate-1,Akt,up-regulation of gluconeogenic genes like glucose 6 phosphatase,phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 2,and accumulation of lipid droplets.In this review,we summarize the available information on how HCV infection interferes with insulin signaling pathways resulting in insulin resistance.

Circulating tumor and cancer stem cells in hepatitis C virusassociated liver disease

AIM: To assess the role of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and cancer stem cells (CSCs) in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated liver disease.

Current status and emerging challenges in the treatment of hepatitis C virus genotypes 4 to 6

Hepatitis C virus(HCV) genotypes 4, 5 and 6 are mainly present in Africa, the Middle East and Asia and they have been less extensively studied with respect to epidemiology, natural disease history and therapeutic endpoints. Response rates to a 48-wk combined peginterferon/ribavirin treatment range to 40%-69% for HCV 4, 55%-60% for HCV 5 and 60%-90% for HCV 6. Response-guided schedules are recommended to optimize the outcomes of peginterferon/ribavirin treatment in HCV 4 and, in form of preliminarydata, for HCV 6, but no data are yet available to support such an individualization of therapy for HCV 5. Recently, the direct-acting antivirals(DAAs) with pan-genotypic activities simeprevir, sofosbuvir and daclatasvir have been recommended in triple regimens with peginterferon/ribavirin for the treatment of HCV genotypes 4 to 6 infections. In the future, DAA-based interferon-free therapies are awaited to drastically improve treatment outcomes in HCV. However, efforts to improve treatment outcomes with peginterferon/ribavirin should continue, as the HCV 4-6 infected population is mainly based in resource-limited settings with restricted access to the costly DAAs.

Treatment of hepatitis C virus genotype 4 with peginterferon alfa-2a: Impact of bilharziasis and fibrosis stage

AIM： To evaluate pegylated interferon alpha2a （PegIFN-α2a） in Egyptian patients with HCV genotype 4, and the impact of pretreatment viral load, co-existent bilharziasis and histological liver changes on response rate. METHODS： A total of 73 nafve patients （61 with history of bilharziasis） with compensated chronic HCV genotype 4 were enrolled into： group A （38 patients） who received 180 mg PegIFN-alpha2a subcutaneously once weekly for a year and group B （35 patients） received IFN alpha-2a 3 MU 3 times weekly. Ribavirin was added to each regimen at a dose of 1200 mg. Patients were followed for 72 wk and sustained response was assessed. RESULTS： Significant improvement in both end of treatment response （ETR） （P 〈 0.002） and sustained response （SR） （P 〈 0.05） was noted with pegylated interferon, where ETR was achieved in 29 （76.3%） and 14 patients （40%） in both groups respectively, and 25 patients in group A （65.8%） and 9 （25.7%） in group B could retain negative viraemia by the end of follow up period. Sustained virological response （SVR） showed a significant negative correlation with age and positive correlation with pretreatment inflammation in patients receiving PegIFN. Viral clearance after 3 mo of therapy was associated with high incidence of ETR and SR （P 〈 0.001）, but without significant difference between both forms of interferon. Significant improvement in response was achieved in patients with high grade fibrosis （grade 3 and 4） with PegIFN-α2a, where SR was seen in 5 out of 13 patients in group A, but none in group B. There was no significant difference in response between bilharzial and non-bilharzial patients in both groups. In terms of safety and tolerability, neutropenia was the predominant side effect, both drugs were comparable. CONCLUSION： PegIFN-~2a combined with ribavirin results in improvement in sustained response in HCV genotype 4, irrespective of history of bilharzial infestation.

Interleukin-28 and hepatitis C virus genotype-4:Treatment-induced clearance and liver fibrosis

AIM:To investigate the association between interleukin-28B(IL28B) genotype and response to treatment and hepatic fibrosis in patients with hepatitis C virus(HCV) genotype 4.METHODS:Two hundred and one HCV-genotype 4 patients were included.All patients were treated with Peginterferon alph2a/Ribavirin for 48 wk.End of treatment response(ETR) was defined as loss of detectable serum HCV RNA at the end of treatment.Sustained viral response(SVR) was defined as loss of detectable serum HCV RNA at the end of 24 wk follow up.Genotyping of IL28B rs12979860 was performed using the TaqMan assay.We used logistic regression to estimate the adjusted odds ratio(aOR) and 95%CI.RESULTS:The study included 201 HCV-genotype 4 patients.The majority of patients were men(89.6%),with a median age of 47 years,inter-quartile range(40-51).Approximately 62.5% of patients had ETR,and 49.6% had SVR.Individuals who achieved SVR were more likely to be younger(χ 2 = 4.91,P = 0.027),and less likely to have fibrosis(χ 2 = 15.54,P < 0.0001),or inflammation(χ 2 = 7.58,P = 0.006).The genotype distribution of rs12979860 was 36.2%,49.0% and 14.8% for genotypes CC,CT,and TT,respectively.In these participants,rs12979860 genotype distribution did not differ by gender(P = 0.466),pretreatment viral load(P = 0.600),inflammation(P = 0.435),or fibrosis(P = 0.291).The frequencies of IL28B rs12979860 genotypes were TT(14.8%),CT(49.0%),and CC(36.2%).Compared to rs12979860 genotype TT,aORs(95%CI) for ETR and SVR were:CC genotype,[17.55(5.34-57.69) and 5.92(2.09-16.76),respectively];CT genotype,[5.15(1.80-14.78) and 2.48(0.94-6.52),respectively].In the current study,the patients who did not achieve ETR or SVR had a lower prevalence of rs12979860 CC(17.4% and 23.3%,respectively) than individuals who had ETR or SVR(47.9% and 47.2%,respectively).Individuals with rs12979860 CC genotype had approximately 6 times the odds of SVR compared to individuals with TT genotype(aOR = 5.92;95%CI:2.09-16.76).Similarly,patients with CT genotype had SVR more often than patients with TT genotype(aOR = 2.48;95%CI:0.94-6.52).Carrying at least one copy of the C allele(genotypes CT and CC) had almost 8 times the probability of ETR compared to those with genotype rs12979860 TT(aOR = 7.87;95%CI:2.84-21.82),and approximately 3 times the odds of SVR compared to those with genotype rs12979860 TT(aOR = 3.46;95%CI:1.37-8.74).In addition,data were consistent with a significant gene-dose relationship(aOR = 4.05/allele;95%CI:2.27-7.22).The association between rs12979860 genotype and SVR was similar among those who achieved and those who did not achieve SVR.CONCLUSION:In HCV-genotype 4 patients,rs12979860 is a sensitive predictor of viral clearance,independent of viral load,age,gender or fibrosis,with no similar relation to severity of fibrosis.

CD4+ T cells and natural killer cells: Biomarkers for hepatic fibrosis in human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus-coinfected patients

AIM To characterize peripheral blood natural killer(NK) cells phenotypes by flow cytometry as potential biomarker of liver fibrosis in human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)/hepatitis C virus(HCV) coinfected patients.METHODS Peripheral mononuclear cells from 24 HIV/HCV(HBVnegative) coinfected and 5 HIV/HCV/HBV seronegative individuals were evaluated. HIV/HCV coinfected patients were divided in to groups: G1, patients with METAVIR F0-F2 and G2, patients with METAVIR F3-F4. NK surface cell staining was performed with: AntiCD3(APC/Cy7), anti-CD56(PE/Cy5), anti-CD57(APC), anti-CD25(PE), anti-CD69(FITC), anti-NKp30(PE), antiNKp46(PE/Cy7), anti-NKG2D(APC), anti-DNAM(FITC); anti-CD62L(PE/Cy7), anti-CCR7(PE), anti-TRAIL(PE), anti-Fas L(PE), anti CD94(FITC). Flow cytometry data acquisition was performed on BD FACSCanto, analyzed using Flow Jo software. Frequency of fluorescence was analyzed for all single markers. Clinical records were reviewed, and epidemiological and clinical data were obtained.RESULTS Samples from 11 patients were included in G1 and from 13 in G2. All patients were on ARV, with undetectable HIV viral load. Liver fibrosis was evaluated by transient elastography in 90% of the patients and with biopsy in 10% of the patients. Mean HCV viral load was(6.18 ± 0.7 log10). Even though, no major significant differences were observed between G1 and G2 regarding NK surface markers, it was found that patients with higher liver fibrosis presented statistically lower percentage of NK cells than individual with low to mild fibrosis and healthy controls(G2: 5.4% ± 2.3%, G1: 12.6% ± 8.2%, P = 0.002 and healthy controls 12.2% ± 2.7%, P = 0.008). It was also found that individuals with higher liver fibrosis presented lower CD4 LT count than those from G1(G2: 521 ± 312 cells/μL, G1: 770 ± 205 cells/μL; P = 0.035).CONCLUSION Higher levels of liver fibrosis were associated with lower percentage of NK cells and LTCD4+ count; and they may serve as noninvasive biomarkers of liver damage.

Hepatitis C virus in human B lymphocytes transformed by Epstein-Barr virus in vitro by in situ reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction

AIM: To study persistence and replication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in patients' peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) cultured in vitro. METHODS: Epstein Barr virus (EBV) was used to transform the hepatitis C virus from a HCV positive patient to permanent lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL). Positive and negative HCV RNA strands of the cultured cells and growth media were detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) each month. Core and NS5 proteins of HCV were further tested using immunohistochemical SP method and in situ RT-PCR. RESULTS: HCV RNA positive strands were consistently detected the cultured cells for one year. The negative-strand RNA in LCL cells and the positive-strand RNA in supernatants were observed intermittently. Immunohistochemical results medicated expression of HCV NS3 and C proteins in LCL cytoplasm mostly. The positive signal of PCR product was dark blue and mainly localized to the LCL cytoplasm. The RT-PCR signal was eliminated by overnight RNase digestion but not DNase digestion. CONCLUSION: HCV may exist and remain functional in a cultured cell line for a long period.

Serum complement C4a and its relation to liver fibrosis in children with chronic hepatitis C

AIM:To evaluate serum complement C4a and its relation to liver fibrosis in children with chronic hepatitis C virus(HCV)infection.METHODS:The study included 30 children with chronic HCV infection before receiving antiviral therapy.Chronic HCV infection was defined by positive anti-HCV,a positive polymerase chain reaction for HCV-RNA for more than 6 mo with absence of any associated liver disease.A second group of 30 age-and sex-matched healthy children served as controls.Serum C4a levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Liver fibrosis stage and inflammatory grade were assessed using Ishak scoring system.Serum C4a levels were compared according to different clinical,laboratory and histopathological parameters.Statistical significance for quantitative data was tested by MannWhitney U non-parametric tests.For qualitative data,significance between groups was tested by 2test.Correlation was tested by Spearman’s test.Results were considered significant if P value≤0.05.RESULTS:The age of the patients ranged from 3.5to 18 years and that of controls ranged from 4 to 17years.C4a mean levels were merely lower in patients(153.67±18.69 mg/L)than that in the controls(157.25±11.40 mg/L)with no statistical significance(P=0.378).It did not differ significantly in patients with elevated vs those with normal transaminases(152.25±16.62 vs 155.36±21.33;P=0.868)or with different HCV viremia(P=0.561).Furthermore,there was no statistical significant difference in serum levels between those with no/mild fibrosis and those with moderate fibrosis(154.65±20.59 vs 152.97±17.72;P=0.786)or minimal and mild activity(155.1±21.93 vs 152.99±17.43;P=0.809).Though statistically not significant,C4a was highest in fibrosis score 0(F0),decreasing in F1 and F2 to be the lowest in F3.When comparing significant fibrosis(Ishak score≥3)vs other stages,C4a was significantly lower in F3 compared to other fibrosis scores(143.55±2.33 mg/L vs 155.26±19.64 mg/L;P=0.047)and at a cutoff value of less than 144.01 mg/L,C4a could discriminate F3 with 76.9%sensitivity and75%specificity from other stages of fibrosis.CONCLUSION:Serum complement C4a did not correlate with any of transaminases,HCV viremia or with the histopathological scores.Although C4a decreased with higher stages of fibrosis,this change was not significant enough to predict individual stages of fibrosis.Yet,it could predict significant fibrosis with acceptable clinical performance.

CD4+ T cell responses in hepatitis C virus infection

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of liver damage, with virus-induced end-stage disease such as liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma resulting in a high rate of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Evidence that CD4+ T cell responses to HCV play an important role in the outcome of acute infection has been shown in several studies. However, the mechanisms behind viral persistence and the failure of CD4+ T cell responses to contain virus are poorly understood. During chronic HCV infection, HCV-specific CD4+ T cell responses are rela- tively weak or absent whereas in resolved infection these responses are vigorous and multispecific. Persons with a T-helper type I profile, which promotes cellular effec- tor mechanisms are thought to be more likely to experi- ence viral clearance, but the overall role of these cells in the immunopathogenesis of chronic liver disease is not known. To define this, much more data is required on the function and specificity of virus-specific CD4+ T cells, especially in the early phases of acute disease and in the liver during chronic infection. The role and possible mechanisms of action of CD4+ T cell responses in deter- mining the outcome of acute and chronic HCV infection will be discussed in this review.

Relevance of low viral load in haemodialysed patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

AIM: To identify predictors of sustained virological response in hemodialysed patients treated by PEGinterferon α for chronic hepatitis C, genotype 1.METHODS: The sustained virological response(SVR) rate, IL28 B genotype, IFNL4 genotype, initial viral load(IVL) and other pretreatment variables in 39 endstage renal disease patients(ESRD) on maintenance haemodialysis(HD) infected with hepatitis C virus(HCV), genotype 1b, were compared with a control group of 109 patients with normal kidney function treated within the same period. All the patients were treatment nave and had well compensated liver disease. The ESRD patients received 135 μg of PEGylated interferon α-2a(Peg IFN-α) weekly and a reduced dose of ribavirin(RBV) was administered to 23/39 patients with an initial haemoglobin level > 10 g/d L. Control group patients were given standard doses of Peg IFN-α and RBV. SVR was assessed as HCV RNA negativity 24 wk post-treatment. A t-test or ANOVA were used for comparisons of the means and a χ2 testcompared the frequencies.Logistic regression was used to determine significant predictors of SVR.Cutoff values for continuous variables were obtained from Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis.RESULTS:The distribution of IL28B rs12979860 CC,CT and TT genotypes in the ESRD group was 28.2%,64.1%and 7.7%,respectively,and 19.3%,62.4%and18.3%in the controls.The IFNL4 genotype was in almost absolute linkage disequlibrium with IL28B.The proportion of patients with a low IVL(<600000 IU/m L)was significantly higher in the ESRD group than in the controls(28/39,71.8%vs 51/109,46.8%,P=0.009),as was the proportion of patients with low IVL in IL28B CC carriers compared with non-CC carriers in the ESRD group(10/11,90.9%vs 18/28,64.3%,P=0.0035).This difference was not found in the controls(7/22,31.8%vs 44/87,50.6%,P=0.9).The overall SVR rate was 64.1%(25/39)in the ESRD group and 50.5%(55/109)in the control group(P=0.19).11/11(100%)and 19/22(86.4%)IL28B CC patients achieved SVR in the ESRD and control groups,respectively.A statistically significant association between SVR and IL28B and IFNL4 variants was found in both groups.The ESRD patients who achieved SVR showed the lowest IVL[median 21000,interquartile range(IQR):6000-23000IU/m L],compared with ESRD individuals without SVR(1680000,IQR:481000-6880000,P=0.001),controls with SVR(387000,IQR:111000-1253000)and controls without SVR(905000,IQR:451000-3020000).In ESRD,an IVL<600000 IU/m L was strongly associated with SVR:24/28(85.7%)patients who achieved SVR had viraemia below this threshold.CONCLUSION:Haemodialysis decreases the viral load,especially in IL28B CC genotype carriers.A low IVL was the strongest predictor of SVR in ESRD patients identified in multivariate analysis.

Positional effect of mutations in 5'UTR of hepatitis C virus 4a on patients' response to therapy

AIM： To investigate the effects of mutations in domain Ⅲ of the hepatitis C virus （HCV） internal ribosome entry sequences （IRES） on the response of chronic HCV genotype 4a patients to interferon therapy.METHODS： HCV RNA was extracted from 19 chronic HCV 4a patients receiving interferon/ribavirin therapy who showed dramatic differences in their response to combination therapy after initial viral clearance. IRES domain Ⅲ was cloned and 15 clones for each patient were sequenced. The obtained sequences were aligned with genotype 4a prototype using the ClustaIW program and mutations scored. Prediction of stem-loop secondary structure and thermodynamic stability of the major quasispecies in each patient was performed using the MFOLD 3.2 program with Turner energies and selected constraints on base pairing.RESULTS： Analysis of RNA secondary structure revealed that insertions in domain Ⅲ altered WatsonCrick base pairing of stems and reduced molecular stability of RNA, which may ultimately reduce binding affinity to ribosomal proteins. Insertion mutations in domain - were statistically more prevalent in sustained viral response patients （SVR, n = 14） as compared to breakthrough （BT, n = 5） patients.CONCLUSION： The influence of mutations within domain Ⅲ on the response of HCV patients to combination therapy depends primarily on the position, but not the frequency, of these mutations within IRES domain Ⅲ.

Risk Factors, Clinical Features, Baseline Alanine Aminotransferase and CD4+ Count of Children with HIV Co-Infection with Hepatitis B and C at a Tertiary Hospital in Southwest Nigeria

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B and C viruses are endemic in sub- Saharan African countries including Nigeria. Researchers have studied the burden of co-infection of HIV with hepatitis B and hepatitis C but the risk factors and clinical presentation have not been much addressed especially in children. Methodology: This was a prospective cross sectional study that determined the prevalence, risk factors, clinical features, baseline CD4+ count, CD4+ percentage, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) of newly diagnosed, HAART na?ve HIV co-infection among children who were managed at a Tertiary Hospital in Ilorin, Nigeria. Result: Of the 60 HIV- infected children recruited, 11.7% had HIV co-infection with HBV or HCV. Children with co-infec- tions (mean age 8.43 ± 2.37 years) were significantly older than their HIV mono-infected counterparts (mean age 5.25 ± 3.96 years) (p = 0.011). There was no significant difference between HIV monoinfection and HIV co-infection with respect to gender (p = 0.758), ethnicity (p = 0.707), religion of parents (p = 0.436), family type (p = 0.184), social class (p = 0.535), previous transfusion (p = 0.053), scarification (p = 0.612), female genital mutilation (p = 0.778), and sharing of clippers (p = 0.806). The mean BMI, immunological staging (p = 0.535), baseline ALT (p = 0.940), and mean baseline CD4+ count (p = 0.928) were comparable. However, the body mass index of HIV co-infec- ted children decreased with age up till age 10 years. Conclusion: There were no risk factors, nor clinical features predictive of co-infection identified in this study. Co-infection did not negatively impact baseline, CD4+ count and ALT.

Sustained virological response in a predominantly hepatitis C virus genotype 4 infected population

AIM:To assess sustained virological response(SVR) rates in a predominantly hepatitis C virus(HCV) genotype 4 infected population. METHODS:Between 2003-2007,240 patients who were treated for chronic hepatitis C infection at our center were included.Epidemiological data,viral genotypes,and treatment outcomes were evaluated in all treated patients.Patients with chronic renal failure, previous non-responders,and those who relapsed after previous treatment were excluded from the study.Among all patients,57%were treated with PEG-interferon(IFN)α-2a and 43%patients were treated with PEG-IFNα-2b;both groups received a standard dose of ribavirin. RESULTS:89.6%of patients completed the treatment with an overall SVR rate of 58%.The SVR rate was 54%in genotype 1,44%in genotype 2,73%in genotype 3,and 59%in genotype 4 patients.There was no statistical difference in the SVR rate between patients treated with PEG-IFNα-2a and PEG-IFNα-2b (61.5%vs 53%).Patients younger than 40 years had higher SVR rates than older patients(75%vs 51%,P =0.001).SVR was also statistically significantly higher when the HCV RNA load(pretreatment)was below 800.000(64%vs 50%,P=0.023),in patients with a body mass index(BMI)less than 28(65%vs 49%,P =0.01),and in patients who completed the treatment duration(64%vs 8%,P≤0.00001).CONCLUSION:The SVR rate in our study is higher than in previous studies.Compliance with the standard duration of treatment,higher ribavirin dose,younger age,lower BMI,and low pretreatment RNA levels were associated with a higher virological response.

The combination of endoglin and FIB-4 increases the accuracy of detection of hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C patients

Background and aim: In patients infected with chronic hepatitis C virus, liver biopsy is the gold standard method of staging fibrosis. Different combinations of serum markers attempted to correlate with hepatic fibrosis in place of liver biopsy and have shown encouraging results. The aim of our study is to evaluate the diagnostic value of endoglin and FIB-4 as non-invasive markers of hepatic fibrosis in HCV patients. Methods: We estimated serum endoglin & FIB-4 index in 40 infected chronic hepatitis C patients. Histological staging of hepatic fibrosis was done according to the METAVIR scoring system. Results: Both endoglin and FIB-4 index showed positive correlation with age and aspartate transaminase and inverse correlation with albumin. The diagnostic performance determined by AUROCs for early fibrosis (≤F2), was 0.868 for endoglin and 0.887 for FIB-4, at cut off va- lues of 5.5 & 0.98 with sensitivity of 64.3% & 82.1%, and specificity of 100% & 85% respectively. For ad-vanced fibrosis (>F2), the AUROC was 0.98 for endoglin and 0.967 for FIB-4, obtained at cut off values of 6.29 & 1.6, with sensitivity of 100% & 91.7%, and specificity of 89.3% & 92.9%, respectively. Conclusion: Both serum endoglin and FIB-4 index are fairly accurate in differentiating stages of hepatic fibrosis;their combination in a single equation enhanced the accuracy of fibrosis detection in chronic HCV patients.

Comparative Study on 4 EIA Kits for Screening Antibody to Hepatitis C Virus in Pooled Sera

Four enzyme immunoassay (EIA) test kits, 1 Canadian product and 3 Chinese products,were used in the comparative study. Each pool consisted of 5 sera, and the 5 single sera were tested as controls. The tests were carried out according to the instructions, keeping the same dilution of each serum in single and pool samples. It was found that with the Canadian kit,the positive and negative results of opled sera had no difference from that of the controls (P>0. 10). In the case of Chinese Yali and Kehua kits, the positive results of pooled sera showed no difference from the controls (P >0. 10), but the optical density (OD) of negative opls were increased (P < 0. 01 ), though quite distant from the cut-off values. In the case of Changzheng kit, the OD of opitive opls were significantly lower than those of the controls (P < 0. 05 ), and weak positive samples missed the detection. However this problem could be overcome by blocking the microwells beforehand. Our experiment demonstrate that not all EIA test kits are suitable for screening opls for antithey to hepatitis C virus, and that it is important to assess the sensitivity of the EIA kit to be used for this purpose.

Autoimmune thrombocytopenia in response to splenectomy in cirrhotic patients with accompanying hepatitis C

AIM： To estimate the contribution of autoimmune thrombocytopenia to hepatitis C virus-related liver cirrhosis （type C cirrhosis）, we evaluated the influence of splenectomy upon platelet-associated immunoglobulin G （PAIgG） levels and platelet numbers. METHODS： PAIgG titers and immune markers were determined in 24 type C cirrhotic patients with an intact spleen, 17 type C cirrhotic patients submitted to splenectomy, and 21 non-C cirrhosis with an intact spleen. RESULTS： Thrombocytopenia （PLT〈15×10^4/μL） in type C cirrhosis was diagnosed in all patients with an intact spleen, 8 patients submitted to splenectomy, and in 19 non-C cirrhosis with intact spleen. Elevated titers of PAIgG at more than 25.0 ng/107cells were detected in all cirrhotic patients except for one splenectomized patient. PAIgG titers （ng/10^7cells） were significantly higher in the type C cirrhosis with an intact spleen （247.9 ± 197.0） compared with the splenectomized patients （125.6±87.8） or non-C cirrhosis （152.4± 127.4）. PAIgG titers were negatively correlated with platelet counts in type C cirrhotic patients with an intact spleen. In comparison with the type C cirrhosis with an intact spleen, the splenectomized patients had a reduced CD4/CD8 ratio and serum neopterin levels. The spleen index （cm^2） was negatively correlated with platelet counts in the non-C cirrhosis, but not in the type C cirrhosis. CONCLUSION： Our data indicate that the autoimmune mechanism plays an important role in thrombocytosis complicated by HCV-positive cirrhosis. In addition, splenectomy may impair T cells function through, at least in part, a reduction of CD4/CD8 ratio, consequently suppressing PAIgG production.

Interactions of chemical carcinogens and genetic variation in hepatocellular carcinoma

In the etiology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), in addition to hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections, chemical carcinogens also play important roles. For example, aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) epoxide reacts with guanine in DNA and can lead to genetic changes. In HCC, the tumor suppressor gene p53 codon 249 mutation is associated with AFB 1 exposure and mutations in the K -ras oncogene are related to vinyl chloride exposure. Numerous genetic alterations accumulate during the process of hepatocarcinogenesis. Chemical carcinogen DNA-adduct formation is the basis for these genetic changes and also a molecular marker which reflects exposure level and biological effects. Metabolism of chemical carcinogens, including their activation and detoxification, also plays a key role in chemical hepatocarcinogenesis. Cytochrome p450 enzymes, N -acetyltransferases and glutathione S -transferases are involved in activating and detoxifying chemical carcinogens. These enzymes are polymorphic and genetic variation influences biological response to chemical carcinogens. This genetic variation has been postulated to influence the variability in risk for HCC observed both within and across populations. Ongoing studies seek to fully understand the mechanisms by which genetic variation in response to chemical carcinogens impacts on HCC risk.

Efficacy and Safety of Ombitasvir plus Paritaprevir,Ritonavir and Ribavirin in Non-cirrhotic Treatment-naive and Treatment-experienced Egyptians with Chronic HCV Genotype-4 Infection

Hepatitis C virus genotype 4(HCV-GT4)is a risk factor for cirrhosis,hepatocellular carcinoma and liver failure.A combination of three new direct-acting antivirals ombitasvir,paritaprevir,and ritonavir has been recommended for treatment of HCV-GT4 infection.The current study was aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of this combination plus ribavirin in non-cirrhotic,treatment-naive and-experienced Egyptians with HCV-GT4 infection in a real-world setting.A total of 255 Egyptians with HCV-GT4 infection were enrolled,including 82 treatment-experienced and 173 treatment-naive patients.All of them completed 12-week treatment protocol of ombitasvir,paritaprevir and ritonavir as an oral dose combination with ribavirin.Virological response(VR)was measured,as well as the biochemical parameters related to treatment efficacy and adverse events at baseline and after treatment,at 4(VR4)and 12(VR12)weeks post-treatment.The results showed that the VR4 rates were 98.8%in both groups,and VR12 rates were 97.7%and 96.3%in treatment-naive and-experienced patients,respectively,with no significant differences found between the groups concerning VR4(P=0.9)and VR 12(P=0.3).The most common adverse events were headache and fatigue,which were significantly more common(P=0.001 and 0.003,respectively)in treatment-experienced than in treatment-naive group.The quadruple regimen was well-tolerated,and the reported adverse events were generally mild to moderate.This real-world setting study confirms that the combination of ombitasvir,paritaprevir,ritonavir,and ribavirin is highly effective in the treatment of HCV-GT4 infection with a good safety and tolerability profile.

Interferon-free treatments in patients with hepatitis C genotype 1-4 infections in a real-world setting

AIM To investigated the real-world effectiveness and safety of various regimens of interferon-free treatments in patients infected with hepatitis C virus(HCV).METHODS We performed an observational study to analyze different antiviral treatments administered to 462 HCV-infected patients, of which 56.7% had liver cirrhosis. HCV RNA after 4 wk of treatment and at 12 wk after treatment sustained virologic response(SVR) as well as serious adverse events(SAEs) was analyzed first for the whole cohort and then separately in patients who met or did not meet the inclusion criteria of a clinical trial(CT-met and CT-unmet, respectively).RESULTS The most frequently prescribed treatment was simeprevir/sofosbuvir(36.4%), followed by sofosbuvir/ledipasvir(24.9%) and ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir(r)/dasabuvir(19.9%). Ribavirin(RBV) was administered in 198 patients(42.9%). SVRs occurred in 437/462 patients(94.6%). The SVRs ranged between 93.3% and 100% for genotypes 1-4. SVRs were achieved in 96.2% patients in the CTmet group vs 91.9% patients in the CT-unmet group(P = 0.049). Undetectable HCV RNA at week 4 occurred in 72.9% of the patients. In the univariate analysis, the factors associated with SVRs were lower liver stiffness, absence of cirrhosis, higher platelet count, higher albumin levels, no RBV dose reduction, undetectable HCV RNA at week 4 and CT-met group. In the multivariate analysis, only albumin was an independent predictor of treatment failure(P = 0.04). Eleven patients(2.4%) developed SAEs; 5.2% and 0.7% of the patients in the CT-unmet and CT-met groups, respectively(P = 0.003).CONCLUSION A high proportion of patients with HCV infection achieved SVRs. For patients who did not meet the CT criteria, treatment regimens must be optimized.