Elevated levels of (2'-5') oligoadenylate synthetase activity in chronic hepatitis B with acute exacerbation

• Published in: Kanzo Vol. 29; no. 11; pp. 1431 - 1437
• Main Authors: OKUNO, Tadao, TAKINO, Tatsuro, TAKEDA, Makoto, ARAI, Ken, SOKAWA, Yoshihiro, MATSUMOTO, Masayuki, SHINDO, Michiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: The Japan Society of Hepatology 1988
• ISSN: 0451-4203; 1881-3593
• DOI: 10.2957/kanzo.29.1431

We measured (2'-5') oligoadenylate synthetase (2-5 AS) activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and serum in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) with acute exacerbation. Elevated levels of 2-5 AS activity in PBMC and serum in CHB with acute exacerbation were found, while in CHB without acute exacerbation the levels were similar to healthy subjects. Increase in 2-5 AS activity was associated with increase in serum aminotransferases rather than that in HBV-associated markers such as DNA polymerase and serum HBV DNA. These suggest that in vivo IFN system may be activated during acute exacerbation in CHB, and that this activation may not be a result of HBV multiplication alone, but also of a host-immune response to HBV multiplication. Three patients among 7 CHB with acute exacerbation were treated with IFN. Before treatment, all of them had elevated 2-5 AS. None of them cleared HBeAg after treatment. This suggests that IFN treatment was not effective during acute exacerbation since in vivo IFN system has already been activated. Measurement of 2-5 AS in CHB may be useful to determine the optimal timing of IFN treatment.