The quantitative humoral immune response to the hepatitis C virus is correlated with disease activity and response to interferon-alpha

BACKGROUND/AIM: Virus-host interactions may have pathogenetic significance in chronic hepatitis. Thus the humoral immune response was evaluated during the clinical course of HCV-infected patients. METHODS: Eighteen selected chronic HCV patients received three doses of 3 or 6 MU interferon-alpha 2a weekly for 6 to 12 months and were followed up for 6 to 60 months. Anti-HCV antibody levels were serially measured either in end-point diluted sera with the Matrix-Assay or with quantitative anti-HC34-IgG and -IgM ELISA. Circulating immune complexes were assessed by flow cytometry and the results were correlated with histology, quantitative HCV-RNA levels and genotypes. RESULTS: Nine complete responders (CR; genotypes 1a n = 4; 1b n = 1; 2a n = 1; 3a n = 3) showing sustained virus elimination and ALT normalisation had low HCV-RNA pretreatment levels (mean 14 x 10(3) copies/ml) compared to six nonresponders and three partial responders (NR/PR; genotypes 1a n = 2; 1b n = 7) who had significantly higher HCV-RNA pretreatment levels (mean 254 x 10(3) copies/ml; p < 0.01). In untreated NR/PR the HC34 core-antigen was most immunogenic, in CR the NS3-derived HC29-antigen. Pre-treatment levels of anti-HC 34-IgG and -IgM antibody levels in NR/PR were higher than in CR (IgM/IgG p = 0.05, n.s.) and these differences became significant during or after therapy (3 months therapy: IgM p < 0.02/IgG p < 0.07; end of therapy: IgM 0.006/IgG p < 0.04; 6 months post-therapy: IgM p < 0.002/IgG p < 0.004). The PR patients showed recurrent anti-HC34 antibody levels that preceded disease reactivation and detectable HCV-RNA in serum. Immune complex formation increased in some patients during treatment but did not correlate with disease activity, quantitative viraemia, antibody levels or therapy outcome. CONCLUSION: Anti-HC34 antibodies, i.e. of the IgM-subtype, correlated quantitatively with viraemia and disease activity. Monitoring the antibody levels may predict the long-term therapy outcome during interferon-alpha treatment.     

A comparison of the detection sensitivity of lymphocyte membrane antigens using fluorescein and phosphor immunoconjugates

In Escherichia coli, UV and many chemicals appear to cause mutagenesis by a process of translesion synthesis that requires some form of DNA polymerase III and the SOS-regulated proteins UmuD, UmuC and RecA. An analysis of SOS mutagenesis offers insights into the molecular basis of induced mutagenesis and into mechanisms of DNA damage tolerance.     

Transsexualism in two male triplets

The authors present clinical and case material on two male triplets with aberrant gender identity. Their findings coincide with those of the few family studies reported in which there were two or more transsexual members; they also reveal patterns generally in keeping with the psychological determinants of transsexualism suggested by Stoller.     

Various types of suprameatal spines and depressions in the human temporal bone

Since it covers the lateral wall of the mastoid air system, the suprameatal triangle is of importance to otologic surgeons during mastoidectomy. Because of this clinical importance, topographic anatomy of the suprameatal spine and depression was studied on Anatolian skulls. In all, 363 male and 231 female skulls were studied. The most prevalent type of suprameatal spine resembled a crest and was found in both sexes on the right (77.6%) and left (80%) sides. The absence of a suprameatal depression was significantly higher in females (right 9.1%; left 8.7%) than in males (right 1.7%; left 2.5%). Suprameatal depressions were mostly shallow in female subjects, but were mostly observed in males to be at a medium depth or deep.