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Hepatitis C virus RNA in plasma and blood mononuclear cells in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with alpha‐interferon
Author(s) -
Ounanian A.,
Seigneurin J. M.,
Gueddah N.,
Rolachon A.,
Thelu M. A.,
Zarski J. P.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.1890450205
Subject(s) - peripheral blood mononuclear cell , virology , hepatitis c virus , interferon , virus , medicine , rna , alpha interferon , hepatitis c , hepatitis , immunology , polymerase chain reaction , biology , gene , in vitro , biochemistry
Abstract Hepatitis C virus (HCV), a positive stranded RNA virus, is the main causative agent of post‐transfusion and sporadic non‐A non‐B hepatitis worldwide. Paired samples of plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 11 patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with α‐interferon (IFN) were tested, using a single step polymerase chain reaction (PCR), for the presence of HCV RNA. Before treatment, the viral genome was detected in all the plasma samples and 81.8% of PBMC. After 3 months of treatment, HCV RNA was still present in 63.6% of plasma samples but in only 27.3% of PBMC. A good correlation was observed between serum alanine aminotransferase level normalisation and disappearance of the viral genome in plasma. Among the six responder patients, five relapsed shortly after IFN withdrawal; HCV RNA became detectable again, especially in PBMC. These results show the presence of HCV in PBMC from most patients infected chronically. IFN therapy had an inhibitory effect on viral replication in lymphoid cells, but frequent relapses observed after cessation of treatment with IFN suggested persistence Of HCV in these Cells. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.