Interferon therapy on chronic hepatitis: Its anti-viral efficacy evaluated by lymphocytic 2', 5'-oligoadenylate synthetase

• Published in: Kanzo Vol. 28; no. 8; pp. 1022 - 1032
• Main Authors: KAMEDA, Haruo, FUJISAWA, Kiyoshi, YAMAZAKI, Keiko, KAWASE, Harumichi, NAKAYAMA, Hajime, WATANABE, Yukio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: The Japan Society of Hepatology 1987
• Subjects: 2', 5'-oligoadenylate synthetase
• ISSN: 0451-4203; 1881-3593; 1881-3593
• DOI: 10.2957/kanzo.28.1022

Interferons (IFNs) were administered to 19 patients with type B chronic hepatitis and one with non-A non-B chronic hepatitis. The activities of peripheral lymphocytic 2', 5'-oligoadenylate synthetase (2-5AS) were determined by Sokawa's procedure and its clinical significance was examined. The 2-5AS activities of type B and non-A non-B chronic hepatitis with free from therapy as well as asymptomatic HBV carriers were significantly low (p<0.001, p<0.05 and, p<0.01) than those of healthy controls. This fact suggested that IFN production system was decreased in chronic viral infection. After administration of IFN to the patients with HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis, disappearance of HBeAg and/or seroconversion to anti-HBe were found in 8 of 19 cases (42%). In this successful group, it was found that 2-5AS activities before the IFN treatment were significantly low (p<0.05), and the ratio of 2-5AS activities of 7 days after IFN treatment to pretreatment activities was significantly high (p<0.01). The better induction of 2-5AS, the more improvement of transaminases and anti-viral effect was also recognized when IFN-β was administered to a patient with non-A non-B chronic hepatitis.