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Author : A. Floreani, M.R. Biasin*, G. Marchelle*, A. Graziotto,
M. Chiaramonte, D. Infantolino*. Dept. of Gastroenterology,
Institute of Internal Medicine, University of Padova (Italy). *
Pathology Dept., U.S.L. N.8, Castelfranco V. to (Italy).
HCV-RNA can be detected in serum, plasma, peripheral blood
mononuclear cells (PBMC), included different lymphocyte
subpopulations. Platelets (PLTS) have been found to be directly
infected by viruses, such as the human immunodeficiency virus and
herpes simplex. In HCV chronic infection a significant autoimmune
reaction to PLTS, leading to thrombocypenia has been documented.
AIM: to investigate whether PLTS may be identified as sites of
extrahepatic replication of HCV. METHODS: Serum, plasma and
platelet-rich plasma samples from 19 chronically HCV-infected
patients (4 1a, 8 1b, 4 2c, 3 3a according to Simmonds) and from 4
healthy controls were assayed. Platelet-rich plasma was acidified
with 1M citrate, centrifuged and pellets were washed 3 times with
Tyrode's solution. PBMC contamination in platelet-rich plasma was
excluded by cytological assay. Total RNA was extracted from the
washed PLTS by a Chomezynski-Sacchi modified method. HCV-RNA was
tested by RT-nested PCR using primers in 5' UTR region, followed by
DEIA hybridization (Sorin Biomedica, Saluggia, Italy). RESULTS: All
the 19 anti-HCV+ve patients showed HCV-RNA positivity in both serum
and plasma with the same sensitivity. HCV- RNA was detected in the
PLTS in 17 out of 19 HCV-RNA+ve subjects (89.5%). None of the
controls exhibited HCV-RNA positivity by RT-PCR in serum, plasma,
and PLTS. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary data indicate that human
PLTS are a possible site of extrahepatic replication of HCV.
Besides an autoimmune mechanism, a direct cytopathic effect of HCV
towards the PLTS may be suggested in chronically HCV- infected
subjects.
Source: American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases
- 1996 Annual Meeting
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