Detection of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) in Serum and Peripheral-Blood Mononuclear Cells from HCV-Monoinfected and HIV/HCV–Coinfected Persons

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 192; no. 2; pp. 258 - 265
• Main Authors: Blackard, Jason T., Smeaton, Laura, Hiasa, Yoichi, Horiike, Norio, Onji, Morikazu, Jamieson, Denise J., Rodriguez, Irma, Mayer, Kenneth H., Chung, Raymond T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 15.07.2005; University of Chicago Press; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Adult; AIDS; Arts; B lymphocytes; Biological and medical sciences; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Cohort Studies; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genotype; Hepacivirus; Hepacivirus - isolation & purification; Hepatitis C - blood; Hepatitis C - complications; Hepatitis C - diagnosis; Hepatitis C virus; Hepatocytes; HIV; HIV Infections - complications; HIV Infections - virology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - virology; Liver; Male; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Prospective Studies; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Risk Factors; RNA; RNA, Viral - blood; RNA, Viral - genetics; RNA, Viral - isolation & purification; Substance Abuse, Intravenous - virology; Viral Load; Virology; Viruses; Human; Microbiology; Peripheral blood circulation; Retroviridae; Lentivirus; Virus; Infection; Blood cell; Mononuclear cell; Serum; Human immunodeficiency virus; Flaviviridae; Detection; Hepatitis C virus; Hepacivirus
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1086/430949

It has been speculated that hepatitis C virus (HCV) replicates in peripheral-blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), which, therefore, may be a site for interaction with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We used strand-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction to detect HCV RNA in 28 HCV-monoinfected and 20 HIV/HCV–coinfected women. At the first visit, positive-strand HCV RNA was detected in serum samples from 89% of the women, whereas positive-strand HCV RNA was detected in PBMC samples from 32% and 55% of the HCV-monoinfected and HIV/HCV–coinfected women, respectively. After initiation of antiretroviral therapy, the HIV/HCV–coinfected women were significantly more likely to have detectable positive- and negative-strand HCV RNA in the PBMC compartment than were the HCV-monoinfected women. HIV and HCV RNA levels were not correlated. Serum HCV RNA levels were correlated over time; HCV RNA levels in the serum and PBMC compartments were not. These data suggest differential regulation of HCV RNA in the serum and PBMC compartments and may partially explain the limited HCV antiviral response rates observed in coinfected persons