Hepatitis C virus genotype 5 in southern Belgium: Epidemiological characteristics and response to therapy

in Digestive Diseases & Sciences (2005), 50(12), 2348-2351

Data are scarce on patients infected with hepatitis C virus of genotype 5, due to the low prevalence of this genotype around the world. To better define the characteristics of these patients, we reviewed ... [more ▼]

Data are scarce on patients infected with hepatitis C virus of genotype 5, due to the low prevalence of this genotype around the world. To better define the characteristics of these patients, we reviewed the files of 16 genotype 5 patients. Mean age was 38 +/- 14. All patients were of European origin. Most of them (75%) had been contaminated by transfusion within a short time period (between 1980 and 1991). There were no intravenous drug addicts. Seven patients received treatment. One patient did not respond to interferon (IFN) monotherapy. Of four patients treated with IFN and ribavirin, three became sustained viral responders. Two patients treated with pegylated IFN and ribavirin became sustained viral responders. In our region, genotype 5 patients seem to have been contaminated within a relatively short time period. Treatment with IFN or pegylated IFN and ribavirin gave a high rate (83%) of sustained viral responses. [less ▲]

Cyclosporine a Inhibits Partially Spermine-Induced Differentiation but Not Cell Loss of Suckling Rat Small Intestine

in Digestive Diseases & Sciences (2000), 45(4), 750-4

The polyamines are of great importance in several biological processes, such as cell proliferation, and differentiation. The ingestion of spermine by suckling rats induces the precocious maturation of ... [more ▼]

The polyamines are of great importance in several biological processes, such as cell proliferation, and differentiation. The ingestion of spermine by suckling rats induces the precocious maturation of their small intestine. This phenomenon is preceded by a cell elimination at the villus tip. We hypothesize that these two phenomena could be mediated by the immune system and thus inhibited by an immunosuppressive agent such as cyclosporine A. Cyclosporine A inhibits, at least partially, the spermine-induced increase of the maltase- and sucrase-specific activities in the small intestine but failed to inhibit lactase-specific activity decrease and cell loss. Spermine does not act by the same mechanism in differentiation and in cell loss. Moreover, spermine acts in a different way on lactase-specific activity compared to maltase- or sucrase-specific activity. We hypothesize that spermine acts on differentiation by a T-cell/IL-2-dependent mechanism. [less ▲]

Decreased Corticosensitivity in Quiescent Crohn's Disease: An Ex Vivo Study Using Whole Blood Cell Cultures

in Digestive Diseases & Sciences (1999), 44(6), 1208-15

Corticosensitivity influences the degree and the duration of an inflammatory reaction by altering target cell responses to endogenous and/or exogenous glucocorticoids. Indeed, different clinical responses ... [more ▼]

Corticosensitivity influences the degree and the duration of an inflammatory reaction by altering target cell responses to endogenous and/or exogenous glucocorticoids. Indeed, different clinical responses to glucocorticoids have been observed among patients with Crohn's disease, suggesting different degrees of corticosensitivity in these subjects. The purpose of this study was to compare the corticosensitivity of patients with quiescent Crohn's disease to that of healthy subjects (HS). Nineteen patients with quiescent Crohn's disease and 14 HS were studied; all patients were steroid-free for at least six months; 7 of the 19 were corticosteroid-dependent (CSD) and treated with nonglucocorticoid immunosuppressants at the time of the study. Corticosensitivity was measured by the inhibition of LPS-induced cytokine secretion in whole blood cell cultures treated with increasing concentrations (10(-9) to 10(-6) M) of dexamethasone. Tumor-necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) were measured using specific immunoassays. Crohn's disease patients had a markedly decreased dexamethasone-mediated inhibition of TNF-alpha (P < 0.01), IL-6 (P < 0.001), and IL-1 beta (P < 0.01) compared to healthy subjects, with a shift of the dexamethasone dose-response curve to the right. No significant differences in the basal and LPS-stimulated secretion of the three cytokines were observed between CSD and non-CSD patients, and both subgroups of patients had similar degrees of dexamethasone-mediated cytokine inhibition. We conclude that patients with Crohn's disease have a significant decrease in the corticosensitivity of their leukocytes. This may be related to a specific genetic/constitutional background and/or could be acquired, due to inflammation-related endocrine and/or immune factors. [less ▲]