Analysis of gene transcription in sera during chronic hepatitis C infection

Abstract

Alternative, non-invasive techniques are necessary to monitor the progression of liver disease during chronic hepatitis C. Firstly, because serum is the most accessible material for studies using qPCR in microplates, gene transcription was compared in 219 selected genes involved in the pathogenesis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection between sera, PBMCs and liver samples collected simultaneously from five patients infected chronically. Secondly, using sera, gene profiles were compared between HCV-infected patients (n = 10) and healthy controls (n = 10). In addition, the influence of alcohol intake was examined in patients infected with HCV genotype-1. Firstly, amplifiable mRNAs were obtained in all samples. After amplification, significant correlations were observed between: liver versus serum; liver versus PBMCs; and serum versus PBMCs (r(2) = 0.37, r(2) = 0.54, r(2) = 0.49, respectively). A comparison of gene transcription by gene involved in T- and B-cell markers, adhesion molecules, apoptosis, liver matrix turnover and inflammation, revealed comparable, significant correlations between serum and liver, (r(2) = 0.30, r(2) = 0.60, r(2) = 0.51, r(2) = 0.51, r(2) = 0.26, and r(2) = 0.61 respectively). Secondly, a quantitative analysis of gene expression in sera between genotype-1b-infected patients and healthy controls revealed that 41 genes involved closely in T-cell activation and apoptosis were over-expressed significantly in patients infected with HCV. In these patients, alcohol consumption was associated with an increased expression of six genes involved in the inflammatory response, together with a decrease of genes associated with dendritic cell function. It is concluded that in patients infected with HCV, serum can be used to evaluate expression of liver genes. Further prospective studies are clearly needed to validate the initial results and to define the relevant genes.

Epstein–Barr virus infection induces an increase of T regulatory type 1 cells in Hodgkin lymphoma patients

“…In addition, our collaboration with Herv e Groux, who has described two specific markers of the Tr1 cell subpopulation, allowed us to verify for the first time the implication of these regulatory T cells in HL (Rahmoun et al, 2006). Indeed, others, as well as our group have confirmed that the specific expression of two integrins (ITGB2 ITGA2) on CD4 + T cells characterizes the Tr1 cell subpopulation (Rahmoun et al, 2006;Carpentier et al, 2009). In the present study, quantitative gene and protein expressions of ITGB2 and ITGA2 was significantly increased in tumour biopsy samples of EBVpositive HL patients.…”

iTRAQ-Based Proteomics Identification of Serum Biomarkers of Two Chronic Hepatitis B Subtypes Diagnosed by Traditional Chinese Medicine

“…Four IgG subclasses (IgG1 to IgG4) differ in their heavy chain constant regions and have different effects on virus-cell fusion inhibition, virus neutralization, and overall course of infection, as have been reported for various viruses including HIV [30] and HBV [31]. Highly expressed proteins encoding heavy chains for immunoglobulins including IGHG1, IGHG3, IGHG4, and IGH@ have been reported with upregulation in HBV [32, 33] and HCC patients [34]. Other upregulated protein families such as heat shock protein, histone, ras-related protein, and von Willebrand factor identified in current study have also been reported in patients infected by HBV or hepatitis C virus (HCV) [35–38].…”

CD49b, a Major Marker of Regulatory T-Cells Type 1, Predicts the Response to Antiviral Therapy of Recurrent Hepatitis C after Liver Transplantation

“…However, we can assume that this correlation exists, since we published a previous study in which gene transcription was compared in 219 selected genes involved in the pathogenesis of HCV infection between sera, PBMCs, and liver samples collected simultaneously from five patients infected chronically. After amplification, significant correlations were observed between liver versus serum; liver versus PBMCs; and serum versus PBMCs [31]. In addition, a prospective trial is currently under way to confirm these data and to add functional assays, but the results will not be available for several years.…”

“…Transcriptomic analysis was performed on serum samples, PBMCs, and biopsies; using this technique on a large panel of genes, we had previously found a correlation between the liver, PBMC, and serum regarding the transcription of 219 genes [31]. Serum samples were analyzed at baseline, before the beginning of the treatment, at 12 months (end of the course of ribavirin and pegylated interferon), at 18 months, and at 30 months (6 months after the end of second therapeutic cycle) (Figure 1).…”