Hepatitis C virus-related liver damage is related to cold activation of complement

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H Nomura1, T Ogo, N Rikimaru

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Shin-Kokura Hospital, Kitakyushu, Japan.

Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology
|December 31, 1997
PubMed

Insights

Cold activation of complement is linked to hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated liver damage. This finding is useful for monitoring interferon treatment response in chronic hepatitis C patients.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Hepatology
  • Virology

Background:

  • Cold activation of complement is frequently observed in Japanese patients with hepatitis B virus-negative chronic hepatitis.
  • The exact cause of cold activation of complement remains unknown, but hepatitis C virus (HCV) involvement is suspected.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the positivity of cold activation of complement in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
  • To explore the relationship between cold activation of complement and HCV infection, liver damage, and interferon treatment response.

Main Methods:

  • Studied cold activation of complement positivity in 253 patients, including 93 with chronic hepatitis C treated with interferon-alpha.
  • Compared positivity rates across patient groups: chronic hepatitis C, liver cirrhosis C, asymptomatic HCV carriers, chronic hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis B, alcohol-related liver damage, and controls.
  • Assessed cold activation in relation to interferon treatment response (HCV-RNA negativity, normalized alanine transaminase) and post-treatment relapse.

Main Results:

  • Cold activation was positive in 38% of chronic hepatitis C patients and 46% of liver cirrhosis C patients.
  • Cold activation was not detected in controls, asymptomatic HCV carriers, or patients with hepatitis B or alcohol-related liver damage.
  • Positivity increased sharply in patients who relapsed after interferon treatment, and was negative in those who responded well to treatment.

Conclusions:

  • HCV-associated liver damage is linked to the development of cold activation of complement.
  • Cold activation of complement serves as a useful marker for monitoring interferon treatment response in chronic hepatitis C patients.

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