Interferon-γ brings additive anti-viral environment when combined with interferon-α in patients with chronic hepatitis C

Abstract

T-cell hyporesponsiveness may lead to chronicity of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We evaluated whether interferon (IFN)-γ injection can bring a Th1-dominant environment to patients with chronic hepatitis C. Seventeen patients with genotype 1b received natural IFN-α 5MU daily for the first 2 weeks and three times a week for the next 22 weeks followed by natural IFN-γ 1 MU daily for 2 weeks. In 4 of 17 patients (23.5%), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was normalized and 3 of these 4 patients (75.0%) cleared HCV RNA. β2 microglobulin (BMG), neopterin and soluble (s) Fas increased with IFN-α and increased more with IFN-γ. Serum interleukin (IL)-12, CD4 and CD8 remained unchanged with IFN-α but increased after IFN-α was replaced by IFN-γ. IL-10 was not changed either with IFN-α or γ. Productions of IL-2, IFN-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α by peripheral blood mononuclear cells did not change by IFN-α therapy, however, they were enhanced at the end of IFN-γ therapy. Productions of IL-2 and 4 were unaffected. These results show that some immune parameters become Th1-dominant by additional IFN-γ in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Combination of these two IFNs should be explored.