RESEARCH - ENA antibodies in patients with chronic hepatitis C before and after treatment with interferon

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Anti-extractable Nuclear Antigens (ENA) Antibodies in Patients with Chronic

Hepatitis C before and after Treatment with Interferon

Authors: Omagari K.; Ohba K.; Kadokawa Y.; Hayashida K.; Isomoto H.;

Takeshima F.; Mizuta Y.; Murata I.; Kohno S.

Source: Autoimmunity, Volume 36, Number 5, July 2003, pp. 269-273(5)

Abstract:

A high prevalence of serological markers classically associated with

autoimmune hepatitis or other autoimmune diseases has been reported in

patients with chronic hepatitis C. However, the prevalence of antibodies to

extractable nuclear antigens (anti-ENA) are rarely reported in such patients

and the effect of treatment with interferon (IFN) on their prevalence is not

known. In the present study, serum samples collected from 44 patients with

chronic hepatitis C and 44 patients with non-hepatitis C virus (HCV)

infected liver diseases were tested for anti-ENAs (U1 RNP, Sm, Ro/SS-A,

La/SS-B and Scl-70) antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

In 26 patients with chronic hepatitis C who received IFN treatment, serum

samples were also collected just after completion of IFN treatment, and/or

at 6-40 months after completion of the treatment, and tested for these

antibodies. Sixteen (36%) of 44 sera from patients with chronic hepatitis C

were positive for at least one of the above anti-ENA antibodies, whereas

only 7 (16%) of 44 sera from patients with non-HCV infected liver diseases

were positive for such antibodies (p=0.0290). There was no significant

difference in the prevalence of each of anti-ENA antibody between men and

women. Results of anti-ENA antibodies in most IFN-treated patients with

chronic hepatitis C did not change after treatment. However, in some cases

serum anti-U1 RNP, anti-La/SS-B and anti-Scl-70 became negative or converted

to the gray zone after completion of IFN treatment regardless of HCV

elimination. Our results showed that the overall prevalence of anti-ENA

antibodies was significantly higher in patients with chronic hepatitis C

than in those with non-HCV-infected liver diseases. However, the

disappearance of anti-ENA antibodies after IFN treatment in patients with

chronic hepatitis C may be due to the immunomodulating effects of IFN rather

than HCV elimination.

http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/tandf/gaim/2003/00000036/00000005/art00003

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