GB virus C RNA in serum, liver, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with chronic hepatitis B, C, and D

Gastroenterology. 1997 Aug;113(2):573-8. doi: 10.1053/gast.1997.v113.pm9247478.

Abstract

Background & aims: No conclusive data about GB virus C (GBV-C) tropism are available. We have studied the presence of genomic and antigenomic GBV-C RNA in serum, liver, and peripheral blood cells of 56 patients with chronic hepatitis B, C, or D virus infection.

Methods: Genomic and antigenomic GBV-C RNA were detected by reverse-transcription nested polymerase chain reaction. Specificity was confirmed by sequencing, by chemical modification of the RNA, and by using tagged primers.

Results: Genomic GBV-C RNA was found in 10 of 56 (18%) of the sera. In contrast, antigenomic strand was not detected. The sequence of the amplified GBV-C RNA from 3 patients showed a 96% homology among them and from 83% to 88% with previously described isolates. Genomic GBV-C RNA was found in 7 of 7 liver samples of the patients with serum GBV-C RNA. In 6 of these 7 patients (85%), antigenomic strand was found. Genomic RNA was found in 7 of 7 of the peripheral blood cell samples of the same 7 patients. Antigenomic GBV-C RNA was not found in these cells.

Conclusions: These results suggest that GBV-C is a hepatotropic virus that replicates in the human liver. The data do not support a role for GBV-C in chronic liver disease.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Base Sequence
  • Chronic Disease
  • DNA Helicases / chemistry
  • DNA Helicases / genetics
  • Female
  • Flaviviridae / chemistry
  • Flaviviridae / genetics*
  • Flaviviridae / metabolism
  • Gene Amplification
  • Hepatitis B / metabolism
  • Hepatitis B / pathology
  • Hepatitis B / virology*
  • Hepatitis C / metabolism
  • Hepatitis C / pathology
  • Hepatitis C / virology*
  • Hepatitis D / metabolism
  • Hepatitis D / pathology
  • Hepatitis D / virology*
  • Humans
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / chemistry*
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / metabolism
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / pathology
  • Liver / chemistry*
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Liver / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • RNA Helicases
  • RNA, Viral / analysis*
  • RNA, Viral / blood
  • RNA, Viral / chemistry
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
  • Serine Endopeptidases
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins / chemistry
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins / genetics

Substances

  • NS3 protein, flavivirus
  • RNA, Viral
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins
  • Serine Endopeptidases
  • DNA Helicases
  • RNA Helicases