Serum concentration of gammaGT is a surrogate marker of hepatic TNF-alpha mRNA expression in chronic hepatitis C.
Articolo
Data di Pubblicazione:
2002
Citazione:
Serum concentration of gammaGT is a surrogate marker of hepatic TNF-alpha mRNA expression in chronic hepatitis C. / G. Taliani , M.C. Badolato , G. Nigro , M. Biasin ,V. Boddi ,C. Pasquazzi ,M. Clerici. - In: CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY. - ISSN 1521-6616. - 105:3(2002), pp. 279-285.
Abstract:
Serum gammaGT levels and hepatic expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) are host factors that can independently predict the outcome of interferon (IFN) treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. To explore whether a correlation exists between these two factors, we measured pretreatment gammaGT levels in serum and TNF-alpha mRNA levels in liver biopsies of chronic HCV patients. Seventy-two HCV patients treated with 3-to-5 million units of IFN-alpha three times a week were enrolled in the study. Treatment lasted 24 weeks and was followed by a 48-week follow-up period. Efficacy was assessed by measuring HCV RNA and alanine aminotransferase by the end of follow-up. Twelve patients (16.6%) showed a sustained biochemical and virological response. Normal pretreatment gammaGT levels, low HCV RNA titer, and infection with genotype other than HCV-1 were shown to be independent predictors of sustained response. Hepatic levels of TNF-alpha mRNA, quantified by polymerase chain reaction, were significantly higher in nonresponders (3.44 arbitrary units) compared to sustained responders (1.84 arbitrary units; P = 0.009). Values =3.12 arbitrary units independently predicted a sustained response to IFN (P = 0.014). Finally, TNF-alpha mRNA levels were significantly correlated with serum gammaGT levels (r = 0.79, P < 0.0001). These findings suggest that serum gammaGT levels may represent a surrogate marker of hepatic TNF-alpha expression, thus explaining the importance of serum gammaGT levels in predicting treatment outcome.
Tipologia IRIS:
01 - Articolo su periodico
Elenco autori:
G. Taliani , M.C. Badolato , G. Nigro , M. Biasin ,V. Boddi ,C. Pasquazzi ,M. Clerici
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