Platelet-derived growth factor gene polymorphism in recurrent hepatitis C infection after liver transplantation

BACKGROUND: Recurrent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is particularly aggressive in the post liver transplantation setting, with rapid progression of liver fibrosis. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is reportedly involved in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible contribution of molecular variants of the PDGF-B gene to recurrent HCV infection after liver transplantation. METHODS: DNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 40 patients who underwent liver transplantation for chronic HCV infection and genotyped for polymorphisms in PDGF-B at positions +1135 (A to C) and +286 (A to G). Intrahepatic PDGF-B expression was detected by immunohistochemistry and assessed semiquantitatively. Forty-seven healthy individuals served as controls. RESULTS: Recurrent HCV infection occurred in 34 patients (85%) after a median interval of 10.5 months (range 1.5-60.0). A statistically significant difference was observed in the distribution of the PDGF-B gene polymorphism at position +1135, but not +286 between patients and controls (P=0.05). The A/A genotype occurred at a highly significantly increased rate in patients with recurrent HCV infection than in those without (64.7% vs. 16.67%, P=0.0001), and in patients with severe than in those with nonsevere recurrence (100% vs. 53.85%, P=0.05). The expression level of intrahepatic PDGF-B was found to be highly correlated with the fibrosis stage (P<0.0001). Further analysis yielded a highly statistically significant relationship between the PDGF-B gene polymorphism at position +1135 and clinical parameters of disease severity. CONCLUSIONS: PDGF-B gene polymorphism appears to be associated with severe recurrent HCV infection after liver transplantation. PDGF-B may play an essential role in the development and progression of hepatic fibrosis. These findings, if confirmed, may have important therapeutic implications.     

The effect of recurrence of HCV infection of life after liver transplantation

The present study evaluated the quality of life (QOL) of adult cirrhotic patients before orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), the effect of OLT on QOL in the long-term and the effect of HCV recurrence within medical complications on QOL. Three groups of patients were studied: 19 pre-OLT, 33 during the first year post-OLT and 41 1 to 5 years post-OLT. The patients completed questionnaires on QOL and underwent liver function tests, immunosuppressive drug blood level determinations and medical complications evaluation. Somatization and depression and anxiety scores improved significantly during the first year post-OLT compared with pre-OLT, but they worsened again during the 1–5-year period post-OLT. Physical functioning and life satisfaction scores improved significantly during the first year post-OLT compared with pre-OLT and the improvement persisted 1–5-year during the period post-OLT. Patients with HCV recurrence compared with patients without HCV recurrence during the first year post-OLT showed a significant worsening of most of the domains of QOL. In conclusion, OLT improved most of the domains of QOL by the end of the first post-transplant year, though the improvements did not all persist in the long-term. Recurrence of HCV infection plays a major role in the impairment of QOL after OLT.     

The effect of recurrence of HCV infection of life after liver transplantation

Abstract The present study evaluated the quality of life (QOL) of adult cirrhotic patients before orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), the effect of OLT on QOL in the long-term and the effect of HCV recurrence within medical complications on QOL. Three groups of patients were studied: 19 pre-OLT, 33 during the first year post-OLT and 41 1 to 5 years post-OLT. The patients completed questionnaires on QOL and underwent liver function tests, immunosuppressive drug blood level determinations and medical complications evaluation. Somatization and depression and anxiety scores improved significantly during the first year post-OLT compared with pre-OLT, but they worsened again during the 1–5-year period post-OLT. Physical functioning and life satisfaction scores improved significantly during the first year post-OLT compared with pre-OLT and the improvement persisted 1–5-year during the period post- OLT. Patients with HCV recurrence compared with patients without HCV recurrence during the first year post-OLT showed a significant worsening of most of the domains of QOL. In conclusion, OLT improved most of the domains of QOL by the end of the first post-transplant year, though the improvements did not all persist in the long-term. Recurrence of HCV infection plays a major role in the impairment of QOL after OLT.     

细胞因子基因型多态性与肾移植排斥反应的关系

目的：探讨细胞因子基因型多态性对肾脏移植后急性排斥反应发生率的影响。方法：采用序列特异引物聚合物酶链反应（PCR－SSP）法对115例肾移植受者和24名健康对照者的细胞因子肿瘤坏死因子（TNF）－α,转化生长因子（TGF）－β1,白细胞介素（IL）－6和IL－10基因型进行测定,探讨其细胞因子基因型对肾脏移植后急性排斥反应发生率的影响。结果：在115例肾移植受者及24名健康对照者中,TNF－α和IL－10低产生型基因型者分别为88.7%(102.115),87.5%(21/24)和80％(92/115),75%(18／24）,占明显优势。而TGF－β1和IL－6的硎 是以高产生型占明显优势,分别为79.1%(91/115),100%(115/115)和66.7%(16/24),100%(24/24)。115例肾移植受者中,在移植后6个月内共有26例发生了急性排斥。其中TNF－α高产生基因型和IL－10的中,高产基因型受者的急性排斥发生率分别为53．8％（7／13）和43．5％（10／23）,显著高于相应的低产生基因型受者的18．6％(19/102,x^2=8.17)和17．4％（16／92,x^2=7.16),差异有非常显著意义（P值均＜0＝0．01）。结论：肾移植受者和正常健康人群的TNF－α和IL－10基因型是以低产生型为主;TGF－β1和IL－6的基因型是以高产生型为主;TNF－β1和IL－10细胞因子基因型多态性对肾移植术后急性排斥反应的发生率有显著的影响。     

Famciclovir therapy for recurrent hepatitis B virus infection after liver transplantation

Abstract  Between November 1993 and June 1995 18 patients received oral famciclovir (3 times 500 mg) for treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reinfection after liver transplantation. Reinfection was defined as the reoccurrence of HBsAg in the serum. In the first 15 patients, famciclovir therapy was initiated after clinical signs of graft hepatitis, whereas the last 3 patients received treatment immediately after HBV-DNA was detected. Famciclovir was well-tolerated in all patients. HBV-DNA values were decreased to undetectable levels in 8 out of 18 patients. Clinical status improved in 7 patients, whereas 5 patients remained unchanged and 6 patients progressed to deteriorating graft function and death. When famciclovir was initiated early after reinfection, a response rate of approximately 66 % was observed. Late onset of therapy in patients with fulminant hepatitis generally failed to provide any clinical benefit.     

Rapidly progressive recurrent hepatitis C virus infection starting 9 days after liver transplantation.

Early histological recurrence of hepatitis C after liver transplantation (LT) has a negative impact on patient and graft survival. We report a case of histological recurrence of HCV occurring in the second week after LT. A 75-year-old woman with chronic HCV and hepatocellular carcinoma underwent LT with an organ from a 75-year-old HCV-negative deceased donor. After an uneventful early postoperative period, an increase in the transaminases was observed, and on postoperative day 9 day, the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was 673 IU/mL and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 300 IU/mL, with normal alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin. Analysis of liver biopsy samples showed diffuse necroinflammatory changes with acidophilic bodies and concomitant mild acute cellular rejection. Subsequently there was a further increase in the transaminases, and on postoperative day 13, the AST rose to 445 IU/mL and ALT to 992 IU/mL. Repeat biopsy was performed, and analysis of the samples revealed lymphocytic portal inflammation with lymphoid aggregates and mild interface hepatitis, parenchymal necrosis, activation of sinusoidal lining cells, and mild steatosis. The biopsy sample was characteristic for HCV recurrence. The HCV RNA level was 84,000,000 copies/mL, and markers for other viral causes were not present. The patient became jaundiced and her course progressively worsened. She died on day 87 after transplantation. To our knowledge, this is the earliest reported case of histological recurrence of HCV after LT. It illustrates the importance of older donor and recipient age in the same patient as cofactors for early HCV recurrence and poor outcome.     

Role of cytokine gene polymorphism in hepatitis C recurrence and allograft rejection among liver transplant recipients

BACKGROUND: Cytokines play a key role in the regulation of immune responses. The maximal capacity of cytokine production varies between individuals and was shown to correlate with polymorphism in cytokine gene promoters. The objective of this study was to analyze the role of cytokine allelic variations in susceptibility to early graft rejection episodes and recurrence of hepatitis C infection in liver transplant (LTx) recipients. METHODS: The genetic profile of five cytokines was studied in 68 LTx recipients and 49 controls using polymerase chain reaction sequence specific primers. All individuals were genotyped as high or low producers of TNF-alpha and IL-6 and high, intermediate, or low producers of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), and interleukin 10 (IL-10) based on single nucleotide substitutions. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were observed between patients with or without early rejection episodes. A significant proportion of patients more prone to rejection were genotyped as having a low production profile of IL-10 compared with the control population (P=0.04). These data are in accordance with reports regarding other solid-organ transplant recipients. Patients with no recurrence of hepatitis C had the inherent ability to produce higher TGF-beta levels than did patients with recurrent disease (P=0.042). Among nonrecurrent patients, the percentage of genetically low IL-10 producers was higher than among recurrent patients (P=0.07). Furthermore, a genetic tendency to produce higher levels of IFN-gamma was noted among LTx recipients with nonrecurrent hepatitis C than among those with recurrent hepatitis C. CONCLUSIONS: While no significant correlation was detected between particular cytokine profile and early rejection episodes, our data strongly suggest an association between cytokine gene polymorphism of TGF-beta, IL-10, and INF-gamma and recurrence of hepatitis C in LTx recipients.     

肾移植受者细胞因子基因多态性与术后发生感染的关系

目的　观察和分析肾移植受者术后感染的发生与细胞因子和细胞因子受体基因多态性的关系。方法　根据肾移植术后6个月内是否发生感染,将 126 例受者分为感染组和未感染组。比较两组受者发生感染的主要影响因素;13种细胞因子及受体 22 个位点的基因型分布情况; IL 6、TNF α、TGF β、IL 10高、中、低表达型的分布情况。根据受者发生和未发生急性排斥,分别比较阳性基因多态性的各种基因型在感染和未感染组中的分布情况。结果　感染组急性排斥发生率为55.4%,而未感染组则为14.3%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);IL 1α 889C/C、IL 1β 511C/C、IL 1β 3962C/T和T/T基因型频率及TGF β1高表达型频率明显高于未感染组(P<0.05)。未发生急性排斥的感染者中,IL 1β 511C/C基因型频率高于未感染者(P<0.05);发生急性排斥的感染者中 TGF β1(密10 密25)CG/TG、TGF β1(密10 密 25)高表达型的频率明显高于未感染者(P<0.05)。结论　肾移植术后发生急性排斥反应是感染发生的危险因素,受者的 IL 1α 889C/C、IL 1β 511C/C、TGF β1(密10 密25)高表达型(含CG/TG)与肾移植后感染的发生明显相关。     

Mycobacterial infection after liver transplantation

Tuberculosis occurred in 5 (1.2%) of 462 liver transplant recipients. De novo infection was assumed in 4 patients and a recurrent infection in 1. The clinical courses varied, from asymptomatic open lung tuberculosis to disseminated disease with cerebral tuberculoma and convulsions. Four patients survived with anti-tuberculous triple-drug therapy. Very few cases of tuberculosis after liver transplantation have been reported (4 patients in the medical literature and 5 patients in this paper). However, the incidence, course of infection, and outcome seem to be similar to those of tuberculosis in renal transplant recipients, approximately 150 cases of which are known.     

Incidence and clinical relevance of recurrent hepatitis C infection after orthotopic liver transplantation

Abstract From September 1988 to November 1992 318 liver transplants were performed at our hospital. Of these patients 68 had end-tage cirrhosis due to non-A, non-B, hepatitis, 44 of whom (64.7%) had hepatitis C virus RNA in the serum. Of this subgroup 35 patients (79.5%) were also anti-HCV positive. Postoperatively most recipients remained anti-HCV positive and after 1 year more than 90% had HCV RNA in the serum. About 40% developed a mild, chronic hepatitis and 50% were carriers of HCV without histo-pathological signs. Two patients suffered from a temporary severe acute hepatitis and one patient had a fulminant liver failure due to reinfection. In general, in liver recipients transplanted for end-tage HCV hepatitis there was a high incidence of reinfection with HCV. The clinical course, however, was less severe than in hepatitis B recurrence.