Clinical and immunological characteristics of patients with chronic hepatitis C during antiviral therapy in interferon-free regimen

Abstract

Aim. To study the biomarkers of liver inflammation that occur during antiviral therapy in the interferon-free regimen. Methods. 14 patients were examined during antiviral therapy of chronic viral hepatitis C genotype 1. Treatment with dasabuvir, ombitasvir, paritaprevir and ritonavir for 12 weeks was received by 8 patients. Daklatasvir and asunaprevir was administered to 6 patients for 24 weeks. 11 patients had the concentrations of cytokines/chemokines (TNFα, CCL2/MCP-1, CCL20/MIP-3α, CXCL9/MIG, CXCL10/IP-10, CXCL11/ITAC) measured in the blood plasma by multiplex analysis. In six patients, the content of CXCR3+ and CCR6+ receptors in different subpopulations of lymphocytes was determined by flow cytofluorimetry. Patients were divided into 2 groups: without liver fibrosis and with severe fibrosis. Results. 100% demonstrated virologic response. In both groups, significant reduction of CXCL10/IP-10 concentration was found in the patients at the end of treatment compared to pre-therapy (p=0.025 and 0.00015, respectively). In the first group a tendency to increase of the relative content of T-lymphocytes (p=0.065) was observed, and in the second group, a significant increase of the relative content of TNKCCR6+ (p=0.02) was observed. Conclusion. Chemokine CXCL10/IP-10 is a biomarker characterizing the decrease of liver inflammation during therapy and not depending on the degree of liver fibrosis. The tendency to increase of the relative content of T lymphocytes in the first group and a significant increase in TNKCCR6+ cells during treatment in the second group may play an important role in eliminating hepatitis C virus.