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Modifications of plasma platelet‐activating factor (PAF)‐acetylhydrolase/PAF system activity in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection
Author(s) -
Caini P.,
Guerra C. Tosti,
Giannini C.,
Giannelli F.,
Gragnani L.,
Petrarca A.,
Solazzo V.,
Monti M.,
Laffi G.,
Zignego A. L.
Publication year - 2007
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 - 10.1111/j.1365-2893.2006.00766.x
Subject(s) - platelet activating factor , hepatitis c virus , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , immunology , apolipoprotein b , platelet , clearance , virus , medicine , biology , cholesterol , in vitro , biochemistry , urology
Summary. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) chronically infects about 200 million individuals worldwide and leads to severe liver and lymphatic diseases. HCV circulates in the serum, associated with apoB‐containing lipoproteins. Platelet‐activating factor (PAF), a pro‐inflammatory mediator, is mainly modulated by plasma PAF‐acetylhydrolase (pPAF‐AH), associated with ApoB100‐containing low‐density lipoproteins (LDL). The aim of the study was to evaluate the potential effects of chronic HCV infection on the PAF/pPAF‐AH system. HCV‐RNA was detected in plasma, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and liver samples. Plasma PAF levels, pPAF‐AH activity, ApoB100 serum titres and pPAF‐AH mRNA levels in cultured macrophages were determined. Plasma PAF levels were significantly higher and pPAF‐AH activity was significantly lower in HCV patients than in controls. No significant modifications of pPAF‐AH mRNA in macrophages or in ApoB100 values were observed in HCV patients compared with controls. Patients who cleared HCV after antiviral treatment showed a complete restoration of pPAF‐AH activity and significant decrease of PAF levels during the follow‐up. No data exist about the PAF/pPAF‐AH system behaviour during HCV infection. This study shows that in HCV patients modifications of pPAF‐AH activity/PAF levels take place and that HCV clearance restored pPAF‐AH activity. This suggests that circulating viral particles play a role in PAF/pPAF‐AH system modifications and such an alteration could be involved in HCV‐related damage.