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In subjects with antibody to hepatitis C virus a high serum level of interleukin‐2 soluble receptor suggests activity of liver disease
Author(s) -
Gessoni G.,
Valverde S.,
Giacomini A.,
Antico F.,
Mai F.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of viral hepatitis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1365-2893
pISSN - 1352-0504
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2893.1998.00091.x
Subject(s) - hepatitis c virus , immunology , liver disease , hepatitis c , immune system , medicine , interleukin 2 , virus , lymphocyte , hepatitis , receptor , antibody , chronic liver disease , cirrhosis
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an RNA virus without apparent cytopathic effects, and hepatocellular damage in chronic infection is generally believed to be immune‐mediated by cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Activated T cells release the soluble form of the interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) receptor (sIL‐2R) and its concentration is correlated with the degree of lymphocyte activation. We measured sIL‐2R in 69 subjects: 24 healthy repeat blood donors (group I), 17 HCV carriers without liver damage (group II) and 28 patients with HCV‐related chronic active hepatitis (group III). There was no significant difference between sIL‐2R levels in patients of group I (36.5±14.6Uml –1 ) and group II (46.8±17.4Uml –1 ), and the levels for both of these groups were significantly lower than those observed in the patients with active HCV, group III (176.9±59.5Uml –1 ). Hence, among HCV‐infected subjects (HCV RNA positive) with persistently normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, the plasma levels of sIL‐2R are normal, but, in patients (HCV RNA positive) with HCV‐related chronic active hepatitis there are increased plasma levels of sIL‐2R. We conclude that in HCV infection high levels of sIL‐2R are related to activity of the disease rather than to virus replication. In patients with HCV‐related chronic liver disease, the sIL‐2R concentration may be a useful marker of disease activity.