Impact of host responses on control of hepatitis C virus infection in Chinese blood donors.

ABSTRACT: A study was undertaken to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying control of HCV infection in blood donors in China. Factors including clinical information, anti-HCV reactivity (S/CO), IFN-? and IFN-?, viral loads and genotypes were correlated with 160 index plasma samples at three statuses of 45 recovered, 76 chronic or 39 false positive anti-HCV reactive blood donors. The spontaneous recovery rate was 37.2%. Viral loads of 76 HCV plasmas ranged between 59.8 IU/ml and 2.43 × 10(6)IU/ml (median 3.67 × 10(4)IU/ml). Genotypes 1, 2, 3 and 6 of 63 HCV strains were identified phylogenetically. Recovered donors were significantly younger (p=0.002) and had lower level IFN-? (p=0.001) than chronically HCV infected donors. Circulating levels of IFN-? and IFN-? were higher in those with low viral load and were low in middle or high viral load samples. The ratio of IFN-? to IFN-? (IFN-?/?) was significantly positively correlated with viral load (p=0.037), and viral load was inversely correlated with IFN-? in chronic HCV infection regardless of genotype. The study revealed clearly different relationships between IFN-? and IFN-? in relation to viral load in HCV. A novel measure of IFN-?/? ratio could be a new approach to evaluate long term outcome of HCV infection.

SUBMITTER: Li T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4937991 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature