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Effects of tumor necrosis factor antagonist treatment on hepatitis C-related immunological abnormalities
Christelle Vauloup1, Roman Krzysiek, Liliane Greangeot-Keros
1Service de Microbiologie-Immunologie Biologique, hôpital A. Béclère, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris.
Background:
Chronic hepatitis C infection is frequently associated with a mixed cryoglobulinaemia and circulating auto-antibodies, especially anti-smooth muscle cells (SMA) and anti-liver/kidney/microsome type 1 (LKM-1) anti-tissue antibodies. Treatments with TNF antagonists favour the emergence of auto-antibodies, and particularly anti-dsDNA antibodies.
Objective:
To determine the impact of TNF antagonists on hepatitis C-related immune abnormalities.
Methods:
We prospectively monitored for 14 weeks, six patients with actively replicating chronic hepatitis C, initiating an anti-TNF treatment for an associated rheumatoid arthritis.
Results:
Anti-nuclear and anti-dsDNA antibodies were induced in two and three patients, respectively. Treatment had no impact on the production of antibodies against extractable nuclear antigens, and it did not induce anti-tissues antibodies in any patient. Cryoglobulinaemia appeared in 2/6 patients, and it persisted in 2 others. No patient developed any news signs of autoimmunity. HCV viraemia remained unchanged.
Conclusions:
Induction of auto-antibodies by TNF antagonist treatments does not involve anti-tissues antibodies, even in patients with actively replicating chronic hepatitis C prone to produce anti-SMA and anti-LKM-1 antibodies. In contrast, TNF antagonists may favour emergence of cryoglobulinaemia in such patients.
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