@Article{ecn.2006.0046,
AUTHOR = {Christelle Vauloup, Roman Krzysiek, Liliane Greangeot-Keros, Daniel Wendling, Phillippe Goupille, Rachel Brault, Christine Brousse, Xavier Mariette, Dominique Emilie},
TITLE = {Effects of tumor necrosis factor antagonist treatment on hepatitis C-related immunological abnormalities},
JOURNAL = {European Cytokine Network},
VOLUME = {17},
YEAR = {2006},
NUMBER = {4},
PAGES = {290--293},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/ECN/v17n4/66142},
ISSN = {1952-4005},
ABSTRACT = {Background. Chronic hepatitis C infection is frequently associated with a mixed cryoglobulinaemia
and circulating auto-antibodies, especially anti-smooth muscle cells (SMA) and anti-liver/kidney/microsome type
1 (LKM-1) anti-tissue antibodies. Treatments with TNF antagonists favour the emergence of auto-antibodies, and
particularly anti-dsDNA antibodies. Objective. To determine the impact of TNF antagonists on hepatitis C-related
immune abnormalities. Methods. We prospectively monitored for 14 weeks, six patients with actively replicating
chronic hepatitis C, initiating an anti-TNF treatment for an associated rheumatoid arthritis. Results. Anti-nuclear
and anti-dsDNA antibodies were induced in two and three patients, respectively. Treatment had no impact on the
production of antibodies against extractable nuclear antigens, and it did not induce anti-tissues antibodies in any
patient. Cryoglobulinaemia appeared in 2/6 patients, and it persisted in 2 others. No patient developed any news
signs of autoimmunity. HCV viraemia remained unchanged. Conclusions. Induction of auto-antibodies by TNF
antagonist treatments does not involve anti-tissues antibodies, even in patients with actively replicating chronic
hepatitis C prone to produce anti-SMA and anti-LKM-1 antibodies. In contrast, TNF antagonists may favour
emergence of cryoglobulinaemia in such patients.},
DOI = {10.1684/ecn.2006.0046}
}