HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Takeoka, H. Articles by Hayashi, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Takeoka, H. Articles by Hayashi, J. Related Collections HTLV-1

Antibody to the Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 (HTLV-1) Envelope Protein Gp46 in Patients Co-infected with HCV and HTLV-1

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection is known to affect hepatitis C virus (HCV) clearance and to accelerate the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in HCV-infected patients. In this study, we found the prevalence and titer of an antibody recognizing the central region of the HTLV-1 Gp46 protein to be associated with the severity of chronic liver disease. The antibody prevalence was significantly correlated with the stage of chronic liver disease (P < 0.0001): 3 (14.3%) of 21 patients with minimal–mild chronic hepatitis, 12 (24%) of 50 with moderate–severe chronic hepatitis, 7 (87.5%) of 8 with liver cirrhosis, and 13 (100%) of 13 with hepatocellular carcinoma. These results indicate that the antibody may be a useful marker of the deterioration of liver disease in patients co-infected with HCV and HTLV-1. This antibody may be useful for the diagnosis of liver diseases and the development of more effective treatments.

Received October 24, 2006. Accepted for publication January 15, 2007.

Acknowledgments: In addition to the authors, the following investigators were involved in the present study: Yoko Tomonari and Hiroshi Manabe, Fukuoka Red Cross Blood Center; Chikushino, Fukuoka, Dr. Arahito Mitsutake, and Dr. Takeshi Kuga, Mitsutake Hospital, Iki, Nagasaki.

Financial support: The research was supported by a grant from the 21st Century COE Program of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.

Disclaimer: None of the authors have a commercial or other association that might pose a conflict of interest.

^* Address correspondence to Jun Hayashi, Department of General Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan. E-mail: hayashij{at}genmedpr.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp

Authors’ addresses: Hiroaki Takeoka, Norihiro Furusyo, Kazuhiro Toyoda, Masayuki Murata, and Jun Hayashi, Department of General Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Japan, Department of General Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan, Telephone: +81-92-642-5909, Fax: +81-92-642-5916, E-mail: hayashij{at}genmedpr.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp. Yasuko Sagara and Seizaburo Kashiwagi, Fukuoka Red Cross Blood Center, Fukuoka, Japan, Telephone: +81-92-921-1400, Fax: +81-92-921-0799.

Reprint requests: Jun Hayashi, Department of General Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan, Telephone: +81-92-642-5909, Fax: +81-92-642-5916, E-mail: hayashij{at}genmedpr.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp.