BACKGROUND/AIMS: We investigate whether hepatitis C virus (HCV) forms a circulating immune complex (CIC) in patients with chronic HCV infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined HCV-RNA immunoprecipitated with anti-human IgG, A and M antibodies by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: In thirty-nine (91%) of 43 patients, composed of 35 chronic hepatitis (CH) and 8 liver cirrhosis (LC), HCV-RNA was detected in the CIC. All 43 patients analyzed were classified into the following three categories; HCV-RNA was detected only in the supernatant (S pattern, 4 patients), both in the supernatant and the precipitate (SP pattern, 27 patients), and only in the precipitate (P pattern, 12 patients). SP pattern was most common in chronic HCV infection, and the frequency of SP pattern decreased with the progression of liver disease. P pattern was significantly more frequent in patients with higher gamma-globulin levels, histologically indicated LC, and antibody to HCV envelope protein. CONCLUSION: We found that HCV formed a CIC in most patients with chronic HCV infection, and that the formation of CIC might be related to the stage of chronic HCV infection.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: We investigate whether hepatitis C virus (HCV) forms a circulating immune complex (CIC) in patients with chronic HCV infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined HCV-RNA immunoprecipitated with anti-human IgG, A and M antibodies by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: In thirty-nine (91%) of 43 patients, composed of 35 chronic hepatitis (CH) and 8 liver cirrhosis (LC), HCV-RNA was detected in the CIC. All 43 patients analyzed were classified into the following three categories; HCV-RNA was detected only in the supernatant (S pattern, 4 patients), both in the supernatant and the precipitate (SP pattern, 27 patients), and only in the precipitate (P pattern, 12 patients). SP pattern was most common in chronic HCV infection, and the frequency of SP pattern decreased with the progression of liver disease. P pattern was significantly more frequent in patients with higher gamma-globulin levels, histologically indicated LC, and antibody to HCV envelope protein. CONCLUSION: We found that HCV formed a CIC in most patients with chronic HCV infection, and that the formation of CIC might be related to the stage of chronic HCV infection.
Authors: Ana Esteve-Sole; Jordi Anton; Rosa Maria Pino-Ramirez; Judith Sanchez-Manubens; Victoria Fumadó; Claudia Fortuny; María Rios-Barnes; Joan Sanchez-de-Toledo; Mónica Girona-Alarcón; Juan Manuel Mosquera; Silvia Ricart; Cristian Launes; Mariona Fernández de Sevilla; Cristina Jou; Carmen Muñoz-Almagro; Eva González-Roca; Andrea Vergara; Jorge Carrillo; Manel Juan; Daniel Cuadras; Antoni Noguera-Julian; Iolanda Jordan; Laia Alsina Journal: J Clin Invest Date: 2021-03-15 Impact factor: 14.808
Authors: A M Roque Afonso; J Jiang; F Penin; C Tareau; D Samuel; M A Petit; H Bismuth; E Dussaix; C Féray Journal: J Virol Date: 1999-11 Impact factor: 5.103