Anti-Clq antibodies in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection

CER2752
2006 Vol.24, N°2
PI 0183, PF 0185
Brief Papers

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PMID: 16762156 [PubMed]

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:
Extrahepatic autoinunune features of HCV infection include autoantibody production and the development of mixed cryoglobulinemia. Anti-Clq antibody, detected with high frequency in systemic lupus erythematosus and hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis, may have a direct pathogenic role in complement mediated autoimmune diseases. In this study, we investigate the prevalence of anti-Clq antibody in a population of patients with chronic HCV infection.
METHODS:
Serum was obtained from a group of 50 patients with chronic HCV infection and control groups comprised of patients with SLE, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), scleroderma (PSS), Sjögren`s syndrome (SS), mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), and healthy individuals.
RESULTS:
Anti-Clq antibody was detected in 38% of HCV patients compared with 2% of healthy controls (p <0.0001). Levels were also significantly elevated in patients with SLE (61%), RA (20%), PSS (15%), SS (15%) and MCTD (15%).
CONCLUSIONS:
In addition to numerous other autoantibodies, patients with chronic HCV infection exhibit increased production of anti-Clq IgG antibodies. This observation may have implications for the pathogenesis of the mixed cryoglobulinemic vasculitis syndrome.