Rapid Communication
Copyright ©2008 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Nov 28, 2008; 14(44): 6844-6852
Published online Nov 28, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.6844
Induction of IgA and sustained deficiency of cell proliferative response in chronic hepatitis C
Yalena Amador-Cañizares, Liz Alvarez-Lajonchere, Ivis Guerra, Ingrid Rodríguez-Alonso, Gillian Martínez-Donato, Julián Triana, Eddy E González-Horta, Angel Pérez, Santiago Dueñas-Carrera
Yalena Amador-Cañizares, Liz Alvarez-Lajonchere, Ivis Guerra, Ingrid Rodríguez-Alonso, Gillian Martínez-Donato, Julián Triana, Eddy E González-Horta, Angel Pérez, Santiago Dueñas-Carrera, Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología, Ave 31, e/ 158 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, Havana, Cuba
Author contributions: Dueñas-Carrera S, Amador-Cañizares Y, Alvarez-Lajonchere L, Guerra I and Martínez-Donato G designed research; Amador-Cañizares Y, Alvarez-Lajonchere L, Guerra I, Rodríguez-Alonso I, Martínez-Donato G and Triana J performed research; Amador-Cañizares Y, Alvarez-Lajonchere L, Guerra I, Rodríguez-Alonso I, Martínez-Donato G, González-Horta EE, Pérez A, Triana J and Dueñas-Carrera S analyzed data and participated in the presentation of results; and Amador-Cañizares Y and Dueñas-Carrera S wrote the paper.
Supported by Grant from Pan American Health Organization, held by Dr. Santiago Dueñas-Carrera
Correspondence to: Yalena Amador-Cañizares, HCV Department, Vaccine Division, Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología, Ave 31, 58 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, Havana, Cuba. yalena.amador@cigb.edu.cu
Telephone: +53-7-2716022 Fax: +53-7-2714764
Received: August 15, 2008
Revised: October 21, 2008
Accepted: October 28, 2008
Published online: November 28, 2008
Abstract

AIM: In the present study, antibody and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) proliferative responses against hepatitis C virus (HCV) antigens were evaluated in HCV chronically infected patients.

METHODS: Paired serum and PBMC samples were taken six months apart from 34 individuals, either treated or not, and tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester staining.

RESULTS: Over 70% of the patients showed specific IgG and IgM against capsid, E1 and NS3, while HVR-1 was recognized by half of the patients. An increase in the levels of the anti-capsid IgM (P = 0.027) and IgG (P = 0.0006) was observed in six-month samples, compared to baseline. Similarly, a significantly higher percent of patients had detectable IgA reactivity to capsid (P = 0.017) and NS3 (P = 0.005) after six months, compared to baseline. Particularly, IgA against structural antigens positively correlated with hepatic damage (P = 0.036). IgG subclasses evaluation against capsid and NS3 revealed a positive recognition mediated by IgG1 in more than 80% of the individuals. On the contrary, less than 30% of the patients showed a positive proliferative response either of CD4+ or CD8+ T cells, being the capsid poorly recognized.

CONCLUSION: These results confirm that while the cellular immune response is narrow and weak, a broad and vigorous humoral response occurs in HCV chronic infection. The observed correlation between IgA and hepatic damage may have diagnostic significance, although it warrants further confirmation.

Keywords: Hepatitis C; Antibody response; Lymphoproliferation; Core; Envelope