Effects of corticosteroids on HCV infection

• Published in: International journal of immunopharmacology Vol. 21; no. 4; pp. 253 - 261
• Main Authors: Magy, N, Cribier, B, Schmitt, C, Ellero, B, Jaeck, D, Boudjema, K, Wolf, P, Labouret, N, Doffoel, M, Kirn, A, Stoll-Keller, F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Science 01.04.1999
• Subjects: Adrenal Cortex Hormones - adverse effects; Adrenal Cortex Hormones - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Cells, Cultured; Corticosteroids; Female; Graft Rejection - drug therapy; Hepacivirus - drug effects; Hepacivirus - physiology; Hepatitis C - blood; Hepatitis C - virology; Hepatitis C virus; Humans; Immunomodulators; Immunosuppressive Agents - adverse effects; Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - virology; Liver transplant; Liver Transplantation - adverse effects; Liver Transplantation - immunology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Peripheral blood mononuclear cells; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Prednisone - adverse effects; Prednisone - therapeutic use; Prospective Studies; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Viral - analysis; Viremia - virology; Virus Replication - drug effects; Peripheral blood mononuclear cells; Liver transplant; Corticosteroids; Hepatitis C virus; Human; Corticosteroid; Biological fluid; RNA; Viremia; Liver; Homograft; Hepatic disease; In vitro; Blood; Infection; Virus; In vivo; Treatment; Viral disease; Digestive diseases; Flaviviridae; Hepacivirus; Viral hepatitis C
• ISSN: 0192-0561; 1879-3495
• DOI: 10.1016/S0192-0561(99)00005-3

The risk factors for clinical recurrent hepatitis C in liver transplant recipients are not clearly defined. It has been suggested that the corticosteroids included in the treatments of patients undergoing allograft rejection might induce acute hepatitis by increasing HCV replication. In this study we investigated the effects of corticosteroid boluses on HCV viremia in liver allograft recipients treated for acute rejection. Since we had previously developed a model of HCV replication in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in vitro, we also studied the effects of corticosteroids on HCV replication in vitro. A transient peak of HCV viremia was observed in patients treated with corticosteroid boluses for an acute allograft rejection. In the cell cultures, corticosteroids induced an increase of the total amount of viral RNA detectable. Our results demonstrate that corticosteroids induce an increase of hepatitis C virus replication in vivo and in vitro.