Iman S. Naga
◽
Amel Abdel Fattah Kamel
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Said Ahmed Ooda
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Hadeer Muhammad Fath Elbab
◽
Rania Mohamed El-Sharkawy
Abstract
Background
Hepatitis C virus infection is a global health challenge with Egypt being one of the highly affected countries. IL-10 has been suggested as a suitable marker to assess necroinflammation and to monitor the progression of liver damage. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic factor playing a central role in many physiological as well as pathological processes. Several factors can be predictive of the response to treatment and achievement of SVR; some of which are host-related, and others are virus-related. The gene expression of IL-10 and VEGF have multiple effects for treatment response. The aim of the present work was to study the effect of treatment with directly acting agents (DAA) on the expression of VEGF and IL-10 genes in chronic hepatitis C virus-infected Egyptian genotype-4a patients. Twenty-five HCV subjects where evaluated for IL-10 and VEGF gene expression before and after treatment with DAA.
Results
IL-10 expression was downregulated in 92% of the cases. VEGF expression was heterogeneous showing spreading of values along a wide range with 64% of the cases being downregulated.
Conclusion
DAAs do not completely reverse the immunological imprints established upon chronic HCV infection.
The Hepatitis C virus NS5A and core proteins exert antagonistic effects on
HAMP
gene expression: the hidden interplay with the MTF‐1/MRE pathway
