scholarly journals Clusters of Circulating let-7 Family Tumor Suppressors Are Associated with Clinical Characteristics of Chronic Hepatitis C

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (14) ◽  
pp. 4945
Author(s):  
Yi-Shan Tsai ◽  
Ming-Lun Yeh ◽  
Pei-Chien Tsai ◽  
Ching-I Huang ◽  
Chung-Feng Huang ◽  
...  

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections can cause permanent liver-related diseases, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Low mortality and incidence of HCC have been observed in patients with chronic hepatitis C undergoing direct-acting antiviral therapy. Tumor suppressive let-7 family members are down-regulated in HCC. The present study, therefore, aimed to investigate whether expression levels for the full spectrum of let-7 family members (let-7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e, 7f, 7g, 7i, and miR-98) in the circulatory system are useful as surveillance biomarkers for liver-related diseases to monitor treatment efficacy during HCV infection. To this end, we measured the levels of mature circulating let-7 family members using quantitative reverse transcription-PCR in 236 patients with HCV infection, and 147 age- and sex-matched controls. Using hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis, three clusters were obtained after measuring expression levels of let-7 family members in the patients and controls. Cluster 1 included let-7a/d/e/g, Cluster 2 comprised let-7b and let-7i, and Cluster 3 comprised let-7c/f/miR-98. Let-7b/c/g represented the three clusters and showed the best survival response to liver cancer when analyzed with respect to patient data. Therefore, considering the circulating levels of let7 b/c/g as representatives of the let-7 family may facilitate effective monitoring of liver-related disease.

2011 ◽  
Vol 152 (22) ◽  
pp. 876-881
Author(s):  
Alajos Pár

The review discusses the genetic polymorphisms involved in the pathogenesis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, that may determine the outcome of disease. In this field earlier both certain major histocompatibility complex (MHC) alleles and some cytokine gene variants have also been studied. Recently, the genome-wide association study (GWAS) and targeted single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis have revealed that a variant in the promoter region of interleukin-28B (IL-28B) gene is strongly linked to viral clearance and it may be the strongest pretreatment predictor of treatment response in chronic hepatitis C. Last year it was shown that two genetic variants leading to inosine triphosphatase deficiency protect against haemolytic anemia in patients receiving ribavirin during antiviral treatment for chronic HCV infection. Orv. Hetil., 2011, 152, 876–881.


Medicina ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 597
Author(s):  
Bianca Cerbu ◽  
Stelian Pantea ◽  
Felix Bratosin ◽  
Iulia Vidican ◽  
Mirela Turaiche ◽  
...  

Background and Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic is an ongoing public health emergency. Patients with chronic diseases are at greater risk for complications and poor outcomes. The objective of this study was to investigate the liver function abnormalities and clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19 and chronic hepatitis C. Materials and Methods: This retrospective, single-center study was conducted on a cohort of 126 patients with a history of hepatitis C, confirmed with COVID-19 between 01 April 2020 and 30 December 2020. Several clinical outcomes were compared between patients with active and non-active HCV infection, and the risks of liver impairment and all-cause mortality in active HCV patients were analyzed using a multivariate logistic regression model. Results: Among 1057 patients under follow-up for chronic HCV infection, 126 (11.9%) were confirmed with COVID-19; of these, 95 (75.4%) were under treatment or achieved SVR, while in the other 31 (24.6%), we found active HCV replication. There was a significantly higher proportion of severe COVID-19 cases in the active HCV group as compared to the non-active HCV group (32.2 vs. 7.3%, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that age, sex, alanine aminotransferase, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and HCV viral load were significant independent risk factors for liver impairment and all-cause mortality. The length of stay in hospital and intensive care unit for COVID-19 was significantly higher in patients with active HCV infection (p-value < 0.001), and a higher proportion of these patients required mechanical ventilation. Conclusions: Active HCV infection is an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality in COVID-19 patients.


2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (02) ◽  
pp. 220-226
Author(s):  
GHAZANFAR ALI SINDHU, ◽  
SADAF NAZ, ◽  
FRAZ SAEED QURESHI, ◽  
Zaheer Ahmed, ◽  
Tamur Islam,

Introduction: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). HCV infection and type 2 diabetes are two common disorders with a high impact on health worldwide. There is growing evidenceto support the concept that HCV infection is a risk factor for developing type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Both insulin resistance and diabetes canadversely affect the course of chronic hepatitis C, and lead to poor response to antiviral therapy and increased incidence of Hepatocellularcarcinoma. Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the frequency of type 2 Diabetes mellitus in newly diagnosed chronichepatitis C patients presenting in Allied hospital Medical unit II during six month period. Design: Cross sectional study. Setting: Medicalunit-II, Allied Hospital, Faisalabad. Period: 01-08-2009 to 28-02-2010. Material and methods: All newly diagnosed patients of chronichepatitis C on the basis of PCR for HCV-RNA were included in the study. Fasting and two hours postprandial blood sample were tested.Diabetes Mellitus was labeled as per slandered. Results: Out of 180 patients with CHC 19 (10.6%) were found to have Diabetes mellituswhile 161(89.4%) were non-diabetics. Conclusions: There is close association in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus in patientswith chronic hepatitis C.


1996 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 2409-2413
Author(s):  
D S Lee ◽  
R R Lesniewski ◽  
Y C Sung ◽  
W K Min ◽  
S G Park ◽  
...  

A routine screening test used in the diagnosis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the anti-HCV antibody (anti-HCV) test containing core, NS3, NS4, and NS5 antigens of HCV. When HCV infection occurs in immunocompromised hosts, antibody formation against core, NS3, or NS4 antigens may be weak in the presence of HCV viremia and cannot be detected by routine anti-HCV tests. This study proposed that in immunocompromised hosts such as patients with chronic renal failure (whose capacity to form antibodies is diminished), antibody formation against the E2 region would be preserved, because the E2/NS1 region of HCV is strongly immunogenic. The aim of this study is to evaluate the significance of anti-E2 in the diagnosis of HCV infection among patients on maintenance hemodialysis who are anti-HCV-negative, using a conventional third-generation enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kit. The E2/NS1 gene of HCV encoding the amino acid sequence 388-664 was molecularly cloned into a vector containing an SV 40 promotor and was expressed in Chinese Hamster ovary cells. Using this E2 protein, the anti-E2 test was performed by EIA on 100 patients on maintenance hemodialysis, and on 50 patients with chronic hepatitis C who were anti-HCV-positive, to evaluate the antigenecity of the E2 protein. Of the 100 hemodialysis patients, 15 (15.0%) tested anti-HCV-positive using a third generation anti-HCV ELISA kit. Of the 85 patients who tested negative for anti-HCV, nine (10.6%) were anti-E2-positive and six (66.7%) of these anti-E2 positive patients showed HCV RNA viremia by HCV reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Fourty-two (84.0%) of 50 patients with chronic hepatitis C were anti-E2-positive. As a control group, we tested for anti-E2 among 30 blood donors who were anti-HCV-negative, and also among 85 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who were anti-HCV-negative, but in both groups, none (0%) was anti-E2-positive. In conclusion, these data suggest that the E2 protein of HCV should be included in a diagnostic anti-HCV kit for the detection of HCV infection in immunocompromised patients.


1999 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 183-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leda BASSIT ◽  
Luiz C. DA SILVA ◽  
Gabriela RIBEIRO-DOS-SANTOS ◽  
Geert MAERTENS ◽  
Flair J. CARRILHO ◽  
...  

The present study assessed the clinical significance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes and their influence on response to long term recombinant-interferon-alpha (r-IFN-<FONT FACE="Symbol">a</FONT>) therapy in Brazilian patients. One hundred and thirty samples from patients previously genotyped for the HCV and with histologically confirmed chronic hepatitis C (CH-C) were evaluated for clinical and epidemiological parameters (sex, age, time of HCV infection and transmission routes). No difference in disease activity, sex, age or mode and time of transmission were seen among patients infected with HCV types 1, 2 or 3. One hundred and thirteen of them were treated with 3 million units of r-IFN-<FONT FACE="Symbol">a</FONT>, 3 times a week for 12 months. Initial response (IR) was significantly better in patients with genotype 2 (100%) and 3 (46%) infections than in patients with genotype 1 (29%) (p < 0.005). Among subtypes, difference in IR was observed between 1b and 2 (p < 0.005), and between 1b and 3a (p < 0.05). Sustained response (SR) was observed in 12% for (sub)type 1a, 13% for 1b, 19% for 3a, and 40% for type 2; significant differences were found between 1b and 2 (p < 0.001), and between 1b and 3a (p < 0.05). Moreover, presence of cirrhosis was significantly associated with non response and response with relapse (p < 0.05). In conclusion, non-1 HCV genotype and lack of histological diagnosis of cirrhosis were the only baseline features associated with sustained response to treatment. These data indicate that HCV genotyping may have prognostic relevance in the responsiveness to r-IFN-<FONT FACE="Symbol">a</FONT> therapy in Brazilian patients with chronic HCV infection, as seen in other reports worldwide.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 330-336
Author(s):  
R. R. Giniatullin ◽  
I. E. Kravchenko ◽  
N. V. Galeeva ◽  
C. C. Emene ◽  
A. A. Rizvanov

2009 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 425-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer A Flemming ◽  
David J Hurlbut ◽  
Ben Mussari ◽  
Lawrence C Hookey

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Liver biopsy has been the gold standard for grading and staging chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV)-mediated liver injury. Traditionally, this has been performed by trained practitioners using a nonimage-guided percutaneous technique at the bedside. Recent literature suggests an expanding role for radiologists in obtaining biopsies using an ultrasound (US)-guided technique. The present study was undertaken study to determine if the two techniques produced liver biopsy specimens of similar quality and hypothesized that at our institution, non-US-guided percutaneous liver biopsies for HCV would be of higher quality than US-guided specimens.METHODS: Liver biopsies from 100 patients with chronic HCV infection (50 consecutive US-guided and 50 consecutive non-US-guided), were retrospectively identified using a hospital histopathology database. All original biopsy slides were coded and prospectively reanalyzed by a single hepatopathologist who was blinded to the technique used in obtaining the biopsy. Additionally, all liver biopsies for chronic HCV infection completed at the centre from 1998 to 2007 were identified and the technique used was recorded. Biopsy quality was determined primarily by the number of complete portal tracts (CPTs) identifiable in the slides. The total length of specimen and the degree of fragmentation were secondary outcome measures.RESULTS: There was a slight difference observed between the US-guided and non-US-guided groups in mean age (46.3 years versus 42.5 years, repectively; P=0.018) but no differences in sex, presence of cirrhosis, bilirubin, creatinine, international normalized ratio, and grade or stage of disease. Biopsies obtained using the US-guided technique produced higher quality specimens than the non-US-guided technique based on our primary outcome of number of CPTs in the biopsy (11.8 versus 7.4; P<0.001). US-guided specimens also were longer (24.4 mm versus 19.7 mm; P=0.001), had less fragmentation (P=0.016), and a higher overall histopathological quality assessment (P=0.026) than the non-US-guided biopsies. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the ability to grade and stage the disease (96% US-guided versus 90% in non-US-guided (P=0.20). Over a 10-year period, 763 biopsies for chronic HCV infection were identified with an obvious trend toward the increased use of US-guided technique observed at 2% in 1998 to 85% in 2007.CONCLUSIONS: US-guided liver biopsies for chronic HCV are the most common method of obtaining specimens at the Kingston General Hospital, Kingston, Ontario, and are of higher quality than non-US-guided specimens. However, there is no significant difference in the two techniques in the ability to grade and stage chronic HCV.


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