Peripheral blood lymphocytes DNA in patients with chronic liver diseases

BACKGROUND: Viral replication in blood cells with nucleases may lead to the damage of lymphocytes genetic apparatus and the beginning of immunopathological reactions. AIM: Of this investigation is to reveal the damage to peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) DNA in the patients with chronic liver diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen-nine patients with chronic liver diseases (37 patients with chronic viral hepatitis, 2 patients with liver cirrhosis of mixed etiology (alcohol+virus G), 30 women with primary biliary cirrhosis-PBC) were examined. The condition of DNA structure of PBL was measured by the fluorescence analysis of DNA unwinding (FADU) technique with modification. Changes of fluorescence (in %) reflected the DNA distractions degree (the presence of DNA single-stranded breaks and alkalinelabile sights). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The quantity of DNA single-stranded breaks and alkalinelabile sights in DNA in all patients with chronic viral hepatitis didn't differ from the control group, excluding the patients with chronic hepatitis (CH) C+G. Patients with HGV and TTV monoinfection had demonstrated the increase of the DNA single-stranded breaks PBL quantity. This fact may be connected with hypothesis about the viruses replication in white blood cells discussed in the literature. Tendency to increase quantity of DNA PBL damages in the patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) accordingly to the alkaline phosphatase activity increase was revealed. Significant decrease of the DNA single-stranded breaks and alkalinelabile sights in the PBC patients that were treated with prednisone was demonstrated. Probably, the tendency to increase the quantity of DNA single stranded breaks and alkalinelabile sights in lymphocytes of the PBC patients was depended on the surplus of the blood bile acid content.