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The effect of recombinant α‐interferon treatment on serum levels of hepatitis B virus‐encoded proteins in man
Author(s) -
Hess Georg,
Gerlich Wolfram,
Gerken Guido,
Manns Michael,
Hütteroth Thomas H.,
Büschenfelde KarlHermann Meyer Zum
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.1840070414
Subject(s) - hbsag , hbeag , hepatitis b virus , virology , interferon , medicine , virus , hepatitis b , hepatitis , immunology , alpha interferon , albumin
The effect of α‐interferon treatment on serum levels of hepatitis B virus‐encoded proteins was analyzed in eight patients with chronic type B hepatitis who participated in a pilot study of interferon therapy. Three individuals became HBsAg‐negative, 4 lost HBeAg but remained HBsAg‐positive and 1 remained positive for both HBsAg and HBeAg. Initiation of interferon treatment was rapidly followed by reduction or loss of hepatitis B virus DNA in the serum but by little immediate change in hepatitis B virus antigen levels. Changes in hepatitis B virus antigens were usually delayed. Loss of HBsAg from the serum was preceded by the sequential disappearance of pre‐S‐encoded proteins (pre‐S1 and polymerized human serum albumin) and HBeAg. In patients who lost HBeAg but remained HBsAg‐positive, serum levels of pre‐S1 and polymerized human serum albumin usually, but did not always, decrease. The individual who remained HBsAg‐ and HBeAg‐positive had unchanged serum levels of pre‐S1, polymerized human serum albumin and HBsAg. These results suggest that α‐interferon inhibits hepatitis B virus DNA replication but has little direct effect on synthesis of hepatitis B virus gene products.