TY  - EJOU
AU  - Vauloup, Christelle 
AU  - Krzysiek, Roman 
AU  - Greangeot-Keros, Liliane 
AU  - Wendling, Daniel 
AU  - Goupille, Phillippe 
AU  - Brault, Rachel 
AU  - Brousse, Christine 
AU  - Mariette, Xavier 
AU  - Emilie, Dominique 

TI  - Effects of tumor necrosis factor antagonist treatment on hepatitis C-related immunological abnormalities
T2  - European Cytokine Network

PY  - 2006
VL  - 17
IS  - 4
SN  - 1952-4005

AB  - 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.
KW  - TNF antagonists
KW  -  chronic viral hepatitis
KW  -  auto-antibody
KW  -  cryoglobulinaemia

DO  - 10.1684/ecn.2006.0046