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Infection of B cells with hepatitis C virus for the development of lymphoproliferative disorders in patients with chronic hepatitis C
Author(s) -
Inokuchi Momoko,
Ito Takayoshi,
Uchikoshi Manabu,
Shimozuma Yuu,
Morikawa Kenichi,
Nozawa Hisako,
Shimazaki Tomoe,
Hiroishi Kazumasa,
Miyakawa Yuzo,
Imawari Michio
Publication year - 2009
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.21388
Subject(s) - lymphoproliferative disorders , hepatitis c virus , virology , immunology , cd8 , lymphoma , cryoglobulinemia , medicine , virus , hepatitis c , immune system
Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is associated with lymphoproliferative disorders, represented by essential mixed cryoglobulinemia and B‐cell non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma, but the pathogenic mechanism remains obscure. HCV may infect B cells or interact with their cell surface receptors, and induce lymphoproliferation. The influence of HCV infection of B cells on the development of lymphoproliferative disorders was evaluated in 75 patients with persistent HCV infection. HCV infection was more prevalent (63% vs. 16%, 14%, or 17% P < 0.05 for each), and HCV RNA levels were higher (3.35 ± 3.85 vs. 1.75 ± 2.52, 2.15 ± 2.94 or 2.10 ± 2.90 log copies/100 ng, P < 0.01 for each) in B cells than CD4 + , CD8 + T cells or other cells. Negative‐strand HCV RNA, as a marker of viral replication, was detected in B cells from four of the 75 (5%) patients. Markers for lymphoproliferative disorders were more frequent in the 50 patients with chronic hepatitis C than the 32 with chronic hepatitis B, including cryoglobulinemia (26% vs. 0%, P < 0.001), low CH 50 levels (48% vs. 3%, P = 0.012), and the clonality of B cells (12% vs. 0%, P < 0.01). By multivariate analysis, HCV RNA in B cells was an independent factor associated with the presence of at least one marker for lymphoproliferation (odds ratio: 1.98 [95% confidence interval: 1.36–7.24], P = 0.027). Based on the results obtained, the infection of B cells with HCV would play an important role in the development of lymphoproliferative disorders. J. Med. Virol. 81:619–627, 2009 © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.