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HCV liver infection and liver steatosis: evidence for indirect mechanisms in genotype 3?
Author(s) -
GRASSI A.,
BALLARDINI G.,
SUSCA M.,
BIANCHINI F.,
BONOLI S.,
BIANCHI F. B.,
LENZI M.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
alimentary pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.308
H-Index - 177
eISSN - 1365-2036
pISSN - 0269-2813
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2005.02603.x
Subject(s) - steatosis , genotype , medicine , hepatitis c virus , liver steatosis , hepatitis c , liver biopsy , pathology , virus , virology , fatty liver , gastroenterology , biopsy , biology , gene , biochemistry , disease
Summary Background : Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with the appearance of liver steatosis. Aim : To search for a correlation between the number of HCV infected hepatocytes and the presence, amount and distribution of steatosis. Methods : A total of 124 frozen liver biopsies from HCV patients (genotype 3 = 21) were studied. HCV‐antigens were detected on frozen liver sections using a four steps immunoperoxidase technique. Steatosis was graded by haematoxilin‐eosin counterstaining on a serial section. Results : Steatosis was detected in 82 of 124 (66.1%) patients without differences between different genotypes. Uric acid, body mass index, γ GT levels significantly correlated with steatosis in non‐3 ( P < 0.01, P < 0.05, P < 0.01, respectively) but not in genotype 3 patients. HCV‐antigens were detected in 95 of 124 (76.6%) cases. A positive correlation between steatosis and the number of infected hepatocytes was observed only in genotype 3 patients ( P = 0.06). In most cases the number of cells with steatosis greatly outnumbered that of HCV infected cells. Conclusion : We confirm a possible role of the virus in the genesis of steatosis in HCV genotype 3 infected patients; however, as steatosis do not appear to be directly related to the presence of HCV‐antigens within single hepatocytes, an indirect, possibly cytokine mediated, mechanism might be operative.