| Title |
Persistence of Circulating Hepatitis C Virus Antigens-Specific Immune Complexes in Patients with Resolved HCV Infection
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Digestive Diseases and Sciences, March 2018
|
| DOI | 10.1007/s10620-018-4968-9 |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Ke-Qin Hu, Wei Cui |
| Abstract |
Our recent study indicated the possible presence of detectable hepatitis C virus antigens (HCV-Ags) after denaturation of sera with resolved HCV (R-HCV) infection. The present study determined and characterized persistent HCV-Ags-specific immune complexes (ICs) in these patients. Sixty-eight sera with R-HCV and 34 with viremic HCV (V-HCV) infection were tested for free and IC-bound HCV-Ags using HCV-Ags enzyme immunoassay (EIA), the presence of HCV-Ags-specific ICs by immunoprecipitation and Western blot (IP-WB), HCV ICs containing HCV virions using IP and HCV RNA RT-PCR, and correlation of HCV ICs with clinical presentation in these patients. Using HCV-Ags EIA, we found 57.4% of sera with R-HCV infection were tested positive for bound, but not free HCV-Ags. Using pooled or individual anti-HCV E1/E2, cAg, NS3, NS4b, and/or NS5a to precipitate HCV-specific-Ags, we confirmed persistent HCV-Ags ICs specific to various HCV structural and non-structural proteins not only in V-HCV infection, but also in R-HCV infection. Using IP and HCV RNA PCR, we then confirmed the presence of HCV virions within circulating ICs in V-HCV, but not in R-HCV sera. Multivariable analysis indicated significant and independent associations of persistent circulating HCV-Ags-specific ICs with both age and the presence of cirrhosis in patients with R-HCV infection. Various HCV-Ag-specific ICs, but not virions, persist in 57.4% of patients who had spontaneous or treatment-induced HCV clearance for 6 months to 20 years. These findings enriched our knowledge on HCV pathogenesis and support further study on its long-term clinical relevance, such as extrahepatic manifestation, transfusion medicine, and hepatocarcinogenesis. |
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Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 1 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Scientists | 1 | 100% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 7 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 7 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Researcher | 1 | 14% |
| Other | 1 | 14% |
| Student > Doctoral Student | 1 | 14% |
| Unknown | 4 | 57% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 1 | 14% |
| Immunology and Microbiology | 1 | 14% |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 1 | 14% |
| Unknown | 4 | 57% |
Attention Score in Context
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#19,382,126
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Outputs from Digestive Diseases and Sciences
#3,362
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Outputs of similar age from Digestive Diseases and Sciences
#64
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