Autoantibodies to asialoglycoprotein receptor in chronic hepatitis C patients

Acta Virol. 2001 Feb;45(1):7-11.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of autoantibodies to asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR, anti-ASGPR) in chronic hepatitis C patients and to characterize the anti-ASGPR-positive and anti-ASGPR-negative patients in more detail. A total of 79 chronic hepatitis C patients were screened for the presence anti-ASGPR by ELISA. Anti-ASGPR were detected in 11 (13.9%) patients. No significant differences were found between the anti-ASGPR-positive and anti-ASGPR-negative patients in age, alanine transaminase (ALT) activity, histological findings and response and tolerance to alpha-interferon (alpha-IFN) therapy. The male predominance in the anti-ASGPR positive group was statistically significant. It was surprising that other tested autoantibodies (antinuclear autoantibodies [ANA], smooth muscle autoantibodies [SMA], type 1 liver-kidney microsome autoantibodies [LKM-1], anti-thyroglobulin and thyroid microsome autoantibodies) and increased levels of immunoglobulins A, G and/or M were observed significantly more frequently in the anti-ASGPR-negative group.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Alanine Transaminase / blood
  • Asialoglycoprotein Receptor
  • Autoantibodies / blood*
  • Biomarkers
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / drug therapy
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / enzymology
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / immunology*
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / pathology
  • Hepatitis, Autoimmune / diagnosis
  • Hepatitis, Autoimmune / immunology
  • Humans
  • Interferon Type I / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / immunology*
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Sex Factors

Substances

  • Asialoglycoprotein Receptor
  • Autoantibodies
  • Biomarkers
  • Interferon Type I
  • Receptors, Cell Surface
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Alanine Transaminase