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Apolipoprotein E genotypes modulate fibrosis progression in patients with chronic hepatitis C and persistently normal transaminases
Author(s) -
Fabris Carlo,
Vandelli Carmen,
Toniutto Pierluigi,
Minisini Rosalba,
Colletta Cosimo,
Falleti Edmondo,
Smirne Carlo,
Pirisi Mario
Publication year - 2011
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.1440-1746.2010.06403.x
Subject(s) - medicine , gastroenterology , apolipoprotein b , cohort , apolipoprotein e , genotype , liver biopsy , hepatitis c virus , hepatitis c , allele , cholesterol , biopsy , immunology , virus , gene , disease , biology , biochemistry
Background and Aim: Carriage of the apolipoprotein E (Apo E) variants, E2, E3 and E4, affects cholesterol metabolism and may be involved in the persistence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Our aim was to verify whether carriage of specific Apo E variants modulates the course of hepatitis C. Methods: We studied a cohort of 116 HCV‐positive patients (49 male subjects) with persistently normal transaminases and an Ishak staging score ≤ 2 at an initial biopsy. These untreated patients underwent regular clinical monitoring (median histological follow up: 10 years). Apo E variants were genotyped and results were related to the histological outcome. Results: The mean ± standard deviation staging scores were 0.9 ± 0.7 at entry versus 1.9 ± 1.2 at the end of follow up, P < 0.0001. Initial and final staging scores in the E3/E3 homozygotes ( n = 74) were 1.0 ± 0.7 versus 2.1 ± 1.3, P < 0.0001, while in the remaining patients ( n = 42) they were 0.9 ± 0.6 versus 1.5 ± 1.0, P < 0.002. A synergistic effect was observed between Apo E polymorphisms and baseline serum cholesterol values: patients not carrying any E3 allele, as well as carriers of a single E3 allele with serum cholesterol concentration > 190 mg/dL were more likely to have a favorable outcome (final vs initial staging score increased in 7/66, did not change in 10/46, and decreased in 3/4, P < 0.005). Conclusions: Some of the variability in the natural history of patients with persistently normal transaminases with initially mild hepatitis C can be related to their Apo E genetic background.