| 1. |
- Alsiö, Åsa, 1965, et al.
(författare)
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Early quantification of HCV core antigen may help to determine the duration of therapy for chronic genotype 2 or 3 HCV infection
- 2012
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Ingår i: European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0934-9723 .- 1435-4373. ; 31:7, s. 1631-1635
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of the present study was to evaluate the utility of hepatitis C virus (HCV) core antigen (coreAg) assessment for the identification of candidates for short-term therapy. Plasma samples from HCV genotype 2 or 3-infected patients participating in the NORDynamIC trial (n = 382) comparing 12 and 24 weeks of combination treatment with pegylated interferon-alpha 2a and a fixed dose of 800 mg ribavirin daily were analyzed for coreAg. Among the 126 patients (33% of the intention-to-treat population) achieving HCV coreAg levels in plasma below 0.2 pg/mL when assayed on treatment day 3, sustained viral response (SVR) rates of 86% and 84% were achieved in the 12- and 24-week arms, respectively. Similarly, among patients having received at least 80% of the target dose of both pegylated interferon alpha-2a and of ribavirin for at least 80% of the target treatment duration (per-protocol analysis), the SVR rates were 89% and 95%, respectively. Twelve weeks of combination treatment may be sufficient for genotype 2 or 3-infected patients achieving HCV coreAg levels below 0.2 pg/mL by day 3, signaling a rapid clearance of HCV viremia.
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| 2. |
- Lagging, Martin, 1965, et al.
(författare)
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Retreatment with peg-interferon and ribavirin in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 2 or 3 infection with prior relapse
- 2013
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0036-5521 .- 1502-7708. ; 48:7, s. 839-847
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives. Uncertainty remains regarding the efficacy of retreatment with current standard-of-care peg-interferon (peg-IFN) and ribavirin among patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes 2 or 3 with relapse after prior therapy. Materials and methods. Seventy-one patients with chronic HCV genotype 2/3 with prior relapse were enrolled in a phase III multicenter study. Patients were retreated with peg-IFN alpha-2a 180 mu g per week and ribavirin 1000/1200 mg daily. Patients having received previous therapy for 24 weeks were retreated for 48 weeks (Group A), whereas patients having received at least 12 weeks but less than 24 weeks of treatment were allocated to either 48 (Group B) or 24 weeks (Group C) on the basis of whether they had achieved rapid virological response (RVR). Results. Sustained virological response (SVR) rates of 53%, 81% and 75% were achieved in groups A, B and C, respectively. Patients with favorable baseline characteristics, e. g., less advanced liver fibrosis, age < 40 years, duration of infection < 20 years, or BMI < 25 kg/m(2), tended to have more favorable outcomes. All patients achieving HCV RNA below 1000 IU/mL day 6 achieved SVR in contrast to none of the patients with detectable HCV RNA at week 12. Conclusions. Retreatment with peg-IFN and ribavirin for 24-48 weeks entails SVR among the majority of HCV genotype 2/3 infected patients with prior relapse. However, in light of the prolonged treatment duration, moderate effect and considerable side effects, deterring therapy until new options are available may be preferential, particularly in patients previously treated for 24 weeks.
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| 3. |
- Lindh, Magnus, 1960, et al.
(författare)
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Interleukin 28B Gene Variation at rs12979860 Determines Early Viral Kinetics During Treatment in Patients Carrying Genotypes 2 or 3 of Hepatitis C Virus
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Infectious Diseases. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1537-6613 .- 0022-1899. ; 203:12, s. 1748-1752
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Single-nucleotide polymorphisms upstream of the interleukin 28B (interferon lambda 3) gene (IL28B) strongly influence treatment efficacy in patients carrying hepatitis C virus (HCV) of genotype 1. In patients receiving 12 or 24 weeks of interferon-ribavirin therapy for infection with genotype 2 or 3 (n = 341), we found that rs12979860 strikingly determined the first phase of viral elimination (P < .001). In patients treated for 24 weeks, rs12979860 also predicted the rate of sustained virologic response (P = .02), especially among those with high baseline HCV RNA levels (P = .002) or older than 45 years (P = .01). Patients carrying CCrs12979860 had higher baseline HCV RNA levels (P < .001) and did not, when treated for 12 weeks, achieve sustained virologic response more often than those carrying CTrs1297986 or TTrs1297986. The results indicate that IL28B gene testing may identify patients carrying genotype 2 or 3 who could benefit from extended treatment.
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| 4. |
- Söderholm, Jonas, 1978, et al.
(författare)
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Impact of Soluble CD26 on Treatment Outcome and Hepatitis C Virus-Specific T Cells in Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1 Infection
- 2013
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 8:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Interferon and ribavirin therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection yields sustained virological response (SVR) rates of 50–80%. Several factors such as non-1 genotype, beneficial IL28B genetic variants, low baseline IP-10, and the functionality of HCV-specific T cells predict SVR. With the pending introduction of new therapies for HCV entailing very rapid clearance of plasma HCV RNA, the importance of baseline biomarkers likely will increase in order to tailor therapy. CD26 (DPPIV) truncates the chemokine IP-10 into a shorter antagonistic form, and this truncation of IP-10 has been suggested to influence treatment outcome in patients with chronic HCV infection patients. In addition, previous reports have shown CD26 to be a co-stimulator for T cells. The aim of the present study was to assess the utility of CD26 as a biomarker for treatment outcome in chronic hepatitis C and to define its association with HCV-specific T cells. Methods Baseline plasma from 153 genotype 1 and 58 genotype 2/3 infected patients enrolled in an international multicenter phase III trial (DITTO-HCV) and 36 genotype 1 infected patients participating in a Swedish trial (TTG1) were evaluated regarding baseline soluble CD26 (sCD26) and the functionality of HCV-specific CD8+ T cells. Results Genotype 1 infected patients achieving SVR in the DITTO (P = 0.002) and the TTG1 (P = 0.02) studies had lower pretreatment sCD26 concentrations compared with non-SVR patients. Sixty-five percent of patients with sCD26 concentrations below 600 ng/mL achieved SVR compared with 39% of the patients with sCD26 exceeding 600 ng/mL (P = 0.01). Patients with sCD26 concentrations below 600 ng/mL had significantly higher frequencies of HCV-specific CD8+ T cells (P = 0.02). Conclusions Low baseline systemic concentrations of sCD26 predict favorable treatment outcome in chronic HCV infection and may be associated with higher blood counts of HCV-specific CD8+ T cells.
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| 5. |
- Al-Dury, Samer, et al.
(författare)
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Impaired SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell reactivity in patients with cirrhosis following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination
- 2022
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Ingår i: JHEP Reports. - : Elsevier BV. - 2589-5559. ; 4:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background & Aims: Cirrhosis entails elevated risk of COVID-19-associated mortality. This study determined T cell-mediated and antibody reactivity against the spike 1 (S1) protein of SARS-CoV-2 among 48 patients with cirrhosis and 39 healthy controls after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. Methods: SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell reactivity was measured by induced level of T cell-derived interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in blood cells stimulated ex vivo with multimeric peptides spanning the N-terminal portion of S1. S1-induced IFN-gamma was quantified before and after the 1st and 2nd vaccination (BNT162b2, Pfizer-BioNTech or mRNA-1273, Moderna) alongside serum IgG against the receptor-binding domain (RBD) within S1 (anti-RBD-S1 IgG). Results: T-cell reactivity against S1 was reduced in patients with cirrhosis after the 1st (p < 0.001 vs. controls) and 2nd (p < 0.001) vaccination. Sixty-eight percent of patients lacked detectable S1-specific T-cell reactivity after the 1st vaccination vs. 19% in controls (odds ratio 0.11, 95% CI 0.03-0.48, p = 0.003) and 36% remained devoid of reactivity after the 2nd vaccination vs. 6% in controls (odds ratio 0.12, 95% CI 0.03-0.59, p = 0.009). T-cell reactivity in cirrhosis remained significantly impaired after correction for potential confounders in multivariable analysis. Advanced cirrhosis (Child-Pugh class B) was associated with absent or lower T-cell responses (p < 0.05 vs. Child-Pugh class A). The deficiency of T-cell reactivity was paralleled by lower levels of anti-RBD-S1 IgG after the 1st (p < 0.001 vs. controls) and 2nd (p < 0.05) vaccination. Conclusions: Patients with cirrhosis show deficient T-cell reactivity against SARS-CoV-2 antigens along with diminished levels of anti-RBD-S1 IgG after dual COVID-19 vaccination, highlighting the need for vigilance and additional preventative measures. Clinical trial registration: EudraCT 2021-000349-42 Lay summary: T cells are a pivotal component in the defence against viruses. We show that patients with cirrhosis have impaired SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses and lower antibody levels after mRNA vaccination against COVID-19 compared with healthy controls. Patients with more advanced liver disease exhibited particularly inferior vaccine responses. These results call for additional preventative measures in these patients. (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL).
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| 6. |
- Martner, Anna, 1979, et al.
(författare)
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Transient and durable T cell reactivity after COVID-19
- 2022
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424. ; 119:30
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study analyzed whole blood samples (n = 56) retrieved from 30 patients at 1 to 21 (median 9) mo after verified COVID-19 to determine the polarity and duration of antigen-specific T cell reactivity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-derived antigens. Multimeric peptides spanning the entire nucleocapsid protein triggered strikingly synchronous formation of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-12, IL-13, and IL-17 ex vivo until similar to 70 d after confirmed infection, whereafter this reactivity was no longer inducible. In contrast, levels of nucleocapsid-induced IL-2 and interferon-gamma remained stable and highly correlated at 3 to 21 mo after infection. Similar cytokine dynamics were observed in unvaccinated, convalescent patients using whole-blood samples stimulated with peptides spanning the N-terminal portion of the spike 1 protein. These results unravel two phases of T cell reactivity following natural COVID-19: an early, synchronous response indicating transient presence of multipolar, antigen-specific T helper (T-H) cells followed by an equally synchronous and durable T(H)1-like reactivity reflecting long-lasting T cell memory.
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| 7. |
- Nyström, Kristina, 1977, et al.
(författare)
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Inosine Triphosphate Pyrophosphatase Dephosphorylates Ribavirin Triphosphate and Reduced Enzymatic Activity Potentiates Mutagenesis in Hepatitis C Virus
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Virology. - : American Society for Microbiology. - 0022-538X .- 1098-5514. ; 92:19
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A third of humans carry genetic variants of the ITP pyrophosphatase (ITPase) gene (ITPA) that lead to reduced enzyme activity. Reduced ITPase activity was earlier reported to protect against ribavirin-induced hemolytic anemia and to diminish relapse following ribavirin and interferon therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2 or 3 infections. While several hypotheses have been put forward to explain the antiviral actions of ribavirin, details regarding the mechanisms of interaction between reduced ITPase activity and ribavirin remain unclear. The in vitro effect of reduced ITPase activity was assessed by means of transfection of hepatocytes (Huh7.5 cells) with a small interfering RNA (siRNA) directed against ITPA or a negative-control siRNA in the presence or absence of ribavirin in an HCV culture system. Low ribavirin concentrations strikingly depleted intracellular GTP levels in HCV-infected hepatocytes whereas higher ribavirin concentrations induced G-to-A and C-to-U single nucleotide substitutions in the HCV genome, with an ensuing reduction of HCV RNA expression and HCV core antigen production. Ribavirin triphosphate (RTP) was dephosphorylated in vitro by recombinant ITPase to a similar extent as ITP, a naturally occurring substrate of ITPase, and reducing ITPA expression in Huh 7.5 cells by siRNA increased intracellular levels of RTP in addition to increasing HCV mutagenesis and reducing progeny virus production. Our results extend the understanding of the biological impact of reduced ITPase activity, demonstrate that RTP is a substrate of ITPase, and may point to personalized ribavirin dosage according to ITPA genotype in addition to novel antiviral strategies. IMPORTANCE This study highlights the multiple modes of action of ribavirin, including depletion of intracellular GTP and increased hepatitis C virus mutagenesis. In cell culture, reduced ITP pyrophosphatase (ITPase) enzyme activity affected the intracellular concentrations of ribavirin triphosphate (RTP) and augmented the impact of ribavirin on the mutation rate and virus production. Additionally, our results imply that RTP, similar to ITP, a naturally occurring substrate of ITPase, is dephosphorylated in vitro by ITPase.
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| 8. |
- Waldenström, Jesper, 1985, et al.
(författare)
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Presence of interferon-lambda, 4, male vender, absent/mild steatosis and low viral load augment antibody levels to hepatitis C virus
- 2021
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0036-5521 .- 1502-7708. ; 56:7, s. 849-854
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: Despite recombinant interferon-lambda 4 (IFN-lambda 4) demonstrating anti-viral activity in vitro and the ancestral functional gene (IFNL4) being conserved in all other primates, there has been speculation that IFN-?A may be detrimental in humans. In light of recent rekindled interest in humoral immunity, this study aimed at evaluating the impact of baseline characteristics, including IFNL4, on antibody levels to hepatitis C virus (HCV). Materials and methods: Pretreatment sera from 279 well-characterized North European Caucasians with chronic HCV genotype 2 or 3 infection having undergone liver biopsy were analyzed regarding IFNL4 (rs12979860) and anti-HCV antibody levels using a commercially available assay. Results: Patients producing IFN-lambda 4 had higher signal to cut-off (S/CO) anti-HCV antibody ratios as compared with those lacking IFN-lambda 4 (IFNL4(rs1)(2979860) CT/TT versus CC, p<.0001, Mann-Whitney U-test). Additionally, in univariate analyses S/CO was significantly higher in men than women (p<.001), as well as in patients with absent/mild interface hepatitis (Ishak grade 0-2 versus 3-4, p =.009), and absent/ mild steatosis (grade 0-1 versus 2-3, p=.0005). Also, an inverse correlation with HCV RNA level (r(5) = -0.14, p=.02) was noted. In multivariate analysis IFN-lambda 4, gender, steatosis and viral load remained independently associated. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first report that demonstrates that the ability to produce IFN-lambda 4, in addition to male gender, absent/mild steatosis, and lower viral load, augments antibody levels against HCV. This indicates that IFN-lambda 4 may be associated with T helper cell 2 (Th2) immune skewing, which might have clinical implications beyond HCV infection.
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