Limongi Dolores, Baldelli Sara, Santi Flavia, D'Agostini Cartesio, Palamara Anna Teresa, Nencioni Lucia, Ciotti Marco
IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Department of Human Sciences and Promotion of the Quality of Life, San Raffaele Roma Open University, Rome, Italy.
Department of Statistical Sciences, "La Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Infez Med. 2018 Sep 1;26(3):249-254.
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection plays a pivotal role in hepatocarcinogenesis and has been associated with oxidative DNA damage. Few data have been reported on the general redox state in patients infected with different HCV genotypes. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and hydrogen peroxide levels as well as oxidative stress index were measured in serum of hepatitis C chronic patients in relation to genotype, viral load, transaminases level and degree of fibrosis. Serum was obtained from two-hundred-fifty-two HCV infected patients and twenty-five healthy donors. TAC was measured by TAC Colorimetric Assay and hydrogen peroxide concentration by Hydrogen Peroxide Colorimetric Assay Kit. In HCV infected patients, mean serum TAC was 5.62 mM Trolox equivalents which was significantly lower (p < 0.0001) than control group (7.25 mM Trolox equivalents). TAC reduction was particularly evident in patients infected by genotype 2 compared to those infected by genotypes 1, 3 and 4. In parallel, high levels of hydrogen peroxide were found in the serum of infected patients, p=0.0015. Although no statistically significant correlation was found with the degree of fibrosis, transaminases level or viral load, oxidative stress index was higher in HCV infected patients compared to uninfected controls, p=0.003. The results indicate an imbalance of the redox state in HCV infected patients, with a strong reduction of the total antioxidant capacity and high oxidative stress index. Because oxidative burden may favour disease progression, a novel strategy aimed at counteracting it by using antioxidant molecules as adjunct therapy might represent a useful tool in the management of HCV chronic infection.
慢性丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）感染在肝癌发生过程中起关键作用，且与氧化性DNA损伤有关。关于不同HCV基因型感染患者的总体氧化还原状态，鲜有数据报道。我们测定了丙型肝炎慢性患者血清中的总抗氧化能力（TAC）、过氧化氢水平以及氧化应激指数，并将其与基因型、病毒载量、转氨酶水平和纤维化程度进行关联分析。血清取自252例HCV感染患者和25名健康供体。采用TAC比色法测定TAC，用过氧化氢比色法试剂盒测定过氧化氢浓度。在HCV感染患者中，血清平均TAC为5.62 mM Trolox当量，显著低于对照组（7.25 mM Trolox当量，p < 0.0001）。与基因型1、3和4感染的患者相比，基因型2感染的患者TAC降低尤为明显。同时，在感染患者血清中发现过氧化氢水平较高（p = 0.0015）。虽然未发现与纤维化程度、转氨酶水平或病毒载量存在统计学显著相关性，但HCV感染患者的氧化应激指数高于未感染对照组（p = 0.003）。结果表明HCV感染患者的氧化还原状态失衡，总抗氧化能力大幅降低，氧化应激指数较高。由于氧化负担可能促进疾病进展，因此通过使用抗氧化分子作为辅助治疗来对抗氧化负担的新策略可能是管理HCV慢性感染的有用工具。
