Latest documents http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/index/index/ Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:58:06 +0200 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:58:06 +0200 http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/24274 Aim: Cellular CD81 is a well characterized hepatitis C virus (HCV) entry factor, while the relevance of soluble exosomal CD81 in HCV pathogenesis is poorly defined. We performed a case-control study to investigate whether soluble CD81 in the exosomal serum fraction is associated with HCV replication and inflammatory activity. Patients and Methods: Four cohorts were investigated, patients with chronic hepatitis C (n = 37), patients with chronic HCV infection and persistently normal ALT levels (n = 24), patients with long term sustained virologic response (SVR, n = 7), and healthy volunteers (n = 23). Concentration of soluble CD81 was assessed semi-quantitatively after differential centrifugation ranging from 200 g to 100,000 g in the fifth centrifugation fraction by immunoblotting and densitometry. Results: Soluble CD81 was increased in patients with chronic hepatitis C compared to healthy subjects (p = 0.03) and cured patients (p = 0.017). Patients with chronic HCV infection and persistently normal ALT levels and patients with long term SVR had similar soluble CD81 levels as healthy controls (p>0.2). Overall, soluble CD81 levels were associated with ALT levels (r = 0.334, p = 0.016) and severe liver fibrosis (p = 0.027). Conclusion: CD81 is increased in the exosomal serum fraction in patients with chronic hepatitis C and appears to be associated with inflammatory activity and severity of fibrosis. Martin-Walter Welker; David Reichert; Simone Susser; Christoph Sarrazin; Yolanda Martinez; Eva Herrmann; Stefan Zeuzem; Albrecht Piiper; Bernd Kronenberger article http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/24274 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:58:06 +0200