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Quantitative analysis of interferon α/β receptor mRNA in the liver of patients with chronic hepatitis C: Correlation with serum hepatitis C virus‐RNA levels and response to treatment with interferon
Author(s) -
YATSUHASHI HIROSHI,
YAMASAKI KAZUMI,
ARITOMI TOMOYUKI,
CARMEN PARQUET MARIA,
INOUE OSAMI,
KOGA MICHIAKI,
YANO MICHITAMI
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1746.1997.tb00467.x
Subject(s) - medicine , interferon , hepatitis c virus , interferon alfa , receptor , chronic hepatitis , virus , hepatitis c , messenger rna , alpha interferon , hepacivirus , immunology , gene , biology , biochemistry
We analysed the expression of interferon (IFN) α/β receptor mRNA in the liver of patients with chronic hepatitis C and examined the relationship between the expression of this receptor gene and the level of hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐RNA as well as the response to 16 weeks of 6 × 10 6 units IFN. The mean level of IFNα/β receptor mRNA in patients with chronic HCV infection (expressed as δ cycle; 10.8±1.9 (mean±SD); n = 39) was significantly higher than that of control subjects (9.4±0.5; n=6; P<0.01). There was a significant negative correlation between the level of IFNα/β receptor mRNA and serum HCV‐RNA in 39 patients with chronic hepatitis C (R=‐0.546; P<0.01). The mean level of IFNα/β receptor mRNA in six patients who showed a complete response to IFN therapy (12.3±1.6) was higher than that of 15 patients who failed to respond to therapy (10.1±1.5; P< 0.01). Our results are consistent with the suggestion that the anti‐viral activity of IFN depends on the level of the IFNα/β receptor on hepatocytes in patients with chronic hepatitis C.