Emerging Issues in Hepatitis C Virus-Positive Liver and Kidney Transplant Recipients

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major health care issue in liver and kidney transplantation. Besides negatively affecting both patient and graft survival, HCV is associated with a heightened risk for new onset diabetes mellitus (NODM). The mechanisms underlying the diabetogenicity of HCV are complex but are likely to involve insulin resistance caused by inhibitory actions of the virus on insulin regulatory pathways in the liver. The resultant glucose dysregulation is an important determinant of increased morbidity and mortality in liver and kidney recipients. This review highlights the concerns for outcomes in HCV-positive liver and kidney transplant patients with particular focus on the interrelationship between hepatitis C and diabetes. Data about the potential role of calcineurin inhibitors, corticosteroids and mycophenolate mofetil in HCV infection and HCV-associated NODM will also be discussed.     

Clinical features of hepatocellular carcinoma that occur after sustained virological response to interferon for chronic hepatitis C

Background and Aim: This study investigated the clinical features of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with sustained virological response to interferon for hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection. Methods: A total of 7715 patients with HCV infection were treated with interferon and followed up for more than 1 year after withdrawal of interferon in 64 Japanese hospitals and clinics between July 1988 and August 2001. Sustained virological response was obtained in 2515 (32.6%) patients. Of these 2515 patients, clinical data were collected for 38 patients in whom hepatocellular carcinoma developed. Sustained virological response was defined as HCV RNA negativity more than 6 months after the termination of interferon. Results: All patients were HCV RNA negative at the time of diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. The median period until the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma was 4.7 years (range 1.4–9.0 years). There were significant improvements in hepatic function including serum albumin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, indocyanine green test, platelet count and histological activity grade in comparison with those before interferon therapy and at the onset of hepatocellular carcinoma. The maximum tumor size in patients without medical follow‐up for 1 year or more (median: 60 mm) was significantly larger than in patients who were periodically followed up for 6 months or less (median: 25 mm) (P = 0.002). Conclusions: The present findings emphasize the importance of regular medical follow up of patients with HCV infection, as even patients showing a sustained virological response to interferon and in whom hepatic function has improved have the potential to develop hepatocellular carcinoma.     

乳腺癌HSV—1,HSV—2与c—erbB—2关系的免疫组化研究

采用免疫组织化学Ｓ－Ｐ法检测５２例手术切除乳腺癌组织ｃ－ｅｒｂＢ－２蛋白和ＨＳＶ－１、ＨＳＶ－２表达情况。结果发现癌组织中ｃ－ｅｒｂＢ－２阳性３４例（６５．４％）；ＨＳＶ－１阳性３８例（７３．１％）；ＨＳＶ－２阳性１５例（２８．８％）。癌旁组织３２例，阳性分别为３例（９．４％）；１２例（３７．５％）；２例（６．３％）。乳腺癌中ｃ－ｅｒｂＢ－２阳性率明显高于癌旁组织。乳腺癌及癌旁的ＨＳＶ－１阳性率明     

静脉毒瘾者84例HGV感染状况

目的调查庚型肝炎病毒（ＨＧＶ）在静脉毒瘾者中的感染状况。方法采用逆转录聚合酶链反应（ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ）检测８４例静脉毒瘾者血浆标本。ＨＧＶＲＮＡ经热变性法提取后逆转录为ｃＤＮＡ，在ＨＧＶ５′非编码区（５′ＮＣＲ）设计两对引物进行巢式扩增，产物为２３８ｂｐ，并经限制性内切酶ＨｐａⅡ鉴定扩增产物来自ＨＧＶ。结果８４例中有１５例为ＨＧＶＲＮＡ阳性，阳性率为１７．９％。ＨＧＶＲＮＡ阳性病例中１１例合并丙型肝炎病毒感染（１１／１５）。结论静脉毒瘾者是ＨＧＶ感染的高危人群；不洁注射是获得ＨＧＶ感染的重要途径。     

Infectious meningitis with atypical cerebrospinal fluid cells

Cytologic evaluation of the CSF is often difficult when trying to distinguish between truly neoplastic and reactive cells. Several non-neoplastic conditions may be associated with atypical cells in the CSF, a fact the clinician has to consider to avoid inadequate aggressive theraphies. We report here three patients with infectious meningitis (due to Herpes zoster virus in two, and neuroborreliosis in one) and cytologically atypical cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytes. Further characterization showed that the pleocyrosis in these patients was of reactive origin. Cytomorphology is frequently insufficient and histochemical, immuncytochemical and cellular genome analysis techniques may help differentiate atypical reactive cells from neoplastic cells.     

Mass Protection Program of Perinatal Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Japan and Impact of an Optional Booster Vaccination on Its Efficacy

We assessed the efficacy of a government-sponsored mass protection program in Osaka, Japan, for perinatal HBV infection in infants born to HBeAg positive HBV carrier mothers. We also evaluated the impact of optional follow-up procedures in such infants, including an evaluation of anti-HBs response and a booster dose of HBV vaccine for poor responders. The results demonstrated that this mass protection program protected 94.4% of the infants from perinatal HBV infection in the Osaka area. However, the proportion of infants with an unprotective level of anti-HBs was higher in the standard group than in the follow-up group both at 1.0 and 1.5 years of age, which was also the case for HBV events. Furthermore, the present study showed that a booster dose of vaccine in poor responders was very effective in promoting an anti-HBs response. In conclusion, we recommend that a follow-up blood test to confirm a response of anti-HBs to HBV vaccine should be performed at 4–8 weeks after the third injection of HBV vaccine in infants born to HBeAg positive HBV carrier mothers. We also recommend that a booster injection of HBV vaccine should be immediately given to poor responding infants who otherwise are at a considerable risk of developing HBV infection in late infancy.     

丙型肝炎病毒H株包膜蛋白在昆虫细胞中的表达及意义

目的　获得丙型肝炎病毒 (HCV) H株包膜糖蛋白的重组杆状病毒 ,在昆虫细胞中稳定表达包膜糖蛋白 E1和 E2 ,并初步应用于丙型肝炎患者血清抗体的检测。方法　用 PCR方法自 HCV H株扩增出包膜蛋白 E基因 ,构建重组杆状病毒 ,并在昆虫细胞中稳定表达包膜糖蛋白 E1和 E2。免疫荧光及 Western blot方法鉴定表达产物。用表达的 E1和 E2蛋白与 35例丙型肝炎患者血清反应。结果　昆虫细胞中表达的 E蛋白呈现 3种分子大小 ,E1的相对分子量为 2 1× 10 3和 33× 10 3 ,E2的相对分子量为 6 0× 10 3。在 35份感染者血清中 ,有 4例 E1抗体阳性 ,其中 1例检出 E2抗体。在 9例 PCR检测 HCV RNA阳性而抗 HCV检测阴性的血清中 ,有 3例血清与表达的 E蛋白反应。结论　 HCV E蛋白基因可在昆虫细胞中稳定表达 ,表达的 E1和 E2蛋白可用于 HCV患者的血清学诊断     

腺病毒介导的HSV—tk基因治疗大鼠脑胶质瘤实验研究

目的：带有ＨＳＶ－ｔｋ基因的重组腺病毒（ＡｄＨＣＭＶ－ｔｋ）结合核苷类似物（ＮＡ）治疗大鼠Ｃ６脑胶质瘤。方法：用Ｘ－ｇａｌ染色测定ＡｄＨＣＭＶ－ｌａｃＺ转染大鼠Ｃ６胶质瘤细胞的效率。用ＡｄＨＣＭＶ－ｔｋ／ＡＣＶ、ＧＣＶ离体及活体治疗大鼠Ｃ６胶质瘤。结果：ＡｄＨＣＭＶ－ｌａｃＺ感染Ｃ６细胞效率达１００％，ＡｄＨＣＭＶ－ｔｋ感染Ｃ６细胞，在病毒感染复数为１０００时，ＧＣＶ和ＡＣＶ半致死剂量分别为３μｇ／ｍｌ和２０μｇ／ｍｌ，Ａｄ－ＨＣＭＶ－ｔｋ／ＡＣＶ治疗大鼠Ｃ６胶质瘤模型，大鼠生存期超过９０天，而对照组分别为１７．０±１．６天（生理盐水组）、１４．５±１．３天（ＡｄＨＣＭＶ－ｌａｃＺ组），Ｐ＜０．００１。结论：重组腺病毒对靶细胞感染效率可达１００％，ＡｄＨＣＭＶ－ｔｋ用ＧＣＶ的杀伤Ｃ６胶质瘤细胞比ＡＣＶ强，而ＨＳＶ－ｔｋ／ＡＣＶ用腺病毒介导治疗大鼠脑肿瘤疗效显著。     

Detection of hepatitis G virus RNA in hepatitis C patients and hepatitis C virus infected hemodialysis patients

AlthoughsensitiveandspecificimmunoassayandmolecularbiologicaltechniquesforthedetectionofthehepatitisA--Evirusesareavailable,theetiologyofasubstantialfractionofpost--transfusionandcommunity--acquiredhepatitiscasesremainsundefined[1],suggestingtheexistenceofadditionalcausativeagents.Anewhumanhepatitisviruswasisolatedbytwoindependentgroups.ThenewvirusisprovisionallydesignatedashepatitisGvirus(HGV)[ZJorGBvirusC(GBV~C)[3'4),whichwasthoughttobetheagentofpartofthenon--A--Ehepatitispatients.Fro…