Interferon antibodies in patients with chronic HBV infection treated with recombinant interferon

• Published in: Journal of hepatology Vol. 8; no. 3; pp. 351 - 357
• Main Authors: Porres, Juan Carlos, Carreño, Vicente, Ruíz, Mercedes, Marrón, JoséAntonio, Bartolomé, Javier
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier B.V 01.05.1989; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antibodies - analysis; Antiviral agents; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Chronic Disease; DNA, Viral - analysis; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Hepatitis B - immunology; Hepatitis B - therapy; Hepatitis B e Antigens - analysis; Humans; Interferon Type I - immunology; Interferon Type I - therapeutic use; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Radioimmunoassay; Recombinant Proteins; Human; Antibody; Liver; Infection; Viral hepatitis B; Chemotherapy; Chronic; Viral disease; Adult; Digestive diseases; Complication; Interferon; Recombinant protein; Child
• ISSN: 0168-8278; 1600-0641
• DOI: 10.1016/0168-8278(89)90034-2

In different trials, a total of 46 adults and 12 children suffering from chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and who were HBV-DNA- and HBeAg-positive were treated with recombinant interferon-α (rIFNα)-2A. The interferon was administered intramuscularly in different doses ranging from 1.5 MU to 20 MU/m 2 of body surface, two or three times weekly during 4–6 months. Specific detection of anti-IFN antibodies by enzymoimmunoassay (EIA), radioimmunoassay (RIA) and biological assays during treatment and follow-up periods were performed. None of the children developed anti-IFN antibodies. During therapy, 12 adult patients (26%) were found to have anti-IFN antibodies. A total of five patients became HBV-DNA-negative during therapy, but in three cases a reactivation of viral replication occurred subsequently. In these three patients, the appearance of anti-IFN antibodies occurred prior to or at the same time as HBV-DNA loss. The other seven patients did not respond to therapy. In conclusion, the development of anti-IFN antibodies during rIFNα treatment of chronic hepatitis B may modify the response to therapy, especially if they appear before HBV-DNA negativization.