Up-regulation of IL-18 by interferon alpha-2b/ribavirin combination therapy induces an anti-viral effect in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS:

Recent large prospective trials demonstrated that the combination therapy of interferon (IFN)-alpha/ribavirin significantly increased a sustained virological response rate in patients with chronic hepatitis C. However, the potential mechanism of ribavirin is not clear.

METHODOLOGY:

Serum interleukin (IL)-18 and HCV-RNA titer were determined before and 2 weeks after administration in patients with chronic hepatitis C, who were treated with ribavirin in combination with IFN-alpha2b (combination group), and with IFN-alpha2b alone (monotherapy group).

RESULTS:

All HCV patients were genotype 1b. In the combination group, the decline of HCV-RNA level by treatment highly correlated with the IL-18 ratio (serum IL-18 level 2 weeks after administration/serum IL-18 level before administration). Similarly, the HCV-RNA level 2 weeks after administration inversely correlated with the IL-18 ratio. In contrast, the IL-18 ratio in the monotherapy group was lower. Furthermore, the decline of HCV-RNA level did not correlate with the IL-18 ratio in the monotherapy group.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study suggests that ribavirin may contribute to the antiviral effect through up-regulation of IL-18 in combination with IFN in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

• Authors: Kazumoto Murata, Norihiko Yamamoto, Tomoyuki Kawakita, Yukiko Saito, Yutaka Yamanaka, Kazushi Sugimoto, Katsuya Shiraki, Takeshi Nakano, Yukihiko Tameda
• Journal: Hepato-gastroenterology (Hepatogastroenterology) 2005 Mar-Apr Vol. 52 Issue 62 Pg. 547-51 ISSN: 0172-6390 [Print] Greece
• PMID: 15816475 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Controlled Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antiviral Agents
• Interferon alpha-2
• Interferon-alpha
• Interleukin-18
• RNA, Viral
• Recombinant Proteins
• Ribavirin

Topics

• Adult
• Antiviral Agents (therapeutic use)
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Female
• Hepacivirus (genetics)
• Hepatitis C, Chronic (blood, drug therapy, virology)
• Humans
• Interferon alpha-2
• Interferon-alpha (therapeutic use)
• Interleukin-18 (blood)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• RNA, Viral (blood)
• Recombinant Proteins
• Ribavirin (therapeutic use)
• Treatment Outcome
• Up-Regulation