Antibody against Interferon-a 2b in Serum of the Patients with ChronicHepatitis C and its Clinical Significance: A Clinical Trial

Background and aims: hepatitis c virus (hcv) infection is treated with alpha interferon (ifn-a). the mechanisms by which ifn-a suppresses hcv replication are not well-known; only limited benefits are achieved with the therapy because the virus in turn, directs some mechanisms to resist the host ifn-a response. the present study was undertaken to determine the therapeutic effects of ifn-a 2b and to measure the serum level of antibody against ifn-a 2b (anti-ifn-a 2b) after treatment with ifn-a 2b in patients with chronic hepatitis c..methods: the levels of hcv antibody (anti-hcv), hcv-rna and anti-ifn-a 2b immunoglobulin g (igg) in serum of 94 patients with chronic hepatitis c who were treated with ifn-a 2b (three 3-mu injections per week for 3 months), were measured in different courses of treatment..results: the total negative rates for anti-hcv and hcv-rna were 33% (31/94) and 38% (36/94) in patients treated with ifn-a 2b, respectively. the rates for those treated with routine medications were 10% (4/40), 15% (6/40), respectively (p<0.01). after the first, second and third course of treatment with ifn-a 2b, the negative rates of anti-hcv, hcv-rna in serum were 0% (0/94), 15% (14/94) and 21% (20/94), 23% (22/94) and 33% (31/94), 38% (36/94), respectively. after the treatment with ifn-a 2b, the total positive rate of anti-ifn-a 2b igg was 5% (5/94). there was no significant difference between the two treatment groups (p>0.05). among them, after treatment with ifn-a 2b for three, six and 12 months, the positive rates of anti-ifn-a 2b igg were 0% (0/94), 2% (2/94), 5% (5/94), respectively. the productive ability of anti-ifn-a2b igg was similar during the different courses of treatment with ifn-a 2b (p>0.05)..conclusions: ifn-a 2b has curative effect for patients with chronic hepatitis c and its therapeutic efficacy is better than that of routine treatments. although ifn-a 2b has certain antigenicity, anti-ifn-a 2b igg production is seen in only a few of patients during the course of treatment; the restrain effect of anti-ifn-a 2b igg on the further treatment with ifn-a 2b is weak.