Autoantibodies to CD69 in patients with chronic hepatitis type C: a candidate marker for predicting the response to interferon therapy

Intervirology. 2003;46(1):56-65. doi: 10.1159/000068126.

Abstract

Objective: To understand the autoimmunity associated with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), we investigated autoantibodies (autoAbs) to CD69.

Methods: With this aim, we tested the reactivity of serum samples from patients with CHC and asymptomatic carriers of hepatitis C virus (HCV), as well as from patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), to recombinant CD69 molecules.

Results: Frequencies of anti-CD69 autoAbs were 38.7% in CHC, 15.8% in AIH and 12.3% in CHB. None of the tested asymptomatic HCV carriers had autoAbs to CD69. It is important clinically that the presence of anti-CD69 autoAbs was found to be associated with a poor response to interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) therapy. In the epitope analysis, multiple epitopes were mapped on CD69, indicating antigen-driven production of the autoAbs.

Conclusion: We evidenced existence of anti-CD69 autoAbs in patients with CHC, and found that the anti-CD69 autoAb may have potential for predicting responses to IFN-alpha therapy.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antigens, CD / immunology*
  • Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / immunology*
  • Autoantibodies / blood*
  • Biomarkers
  • Epitope Mapping
  • Female
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / drug therapy*
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / immunology
  • Humans
  • Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use*
  • Lectins, C-Type
  • Male
  • Middle Aged

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte
  • Autoantibodies
  • Biomarkers
  • CD69 antigen
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Lectins, C-Type