DETECTION OF HEPATITIS-C VIRUS-RNA IN CD19 PERIPHERAL-BLOOD MONONUCLEAR-CELLS OF CHRONICALLY INFECTED PATIENTS

The presence of HCV RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) h as been reported, To identify the cell populations carrying HCV RNA, t he presence and amount of HCV RNA was investigated by limiting dilutio n nested reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in PBMC subpopulations fractionated by automated cell sorting. Fifteen chroni cally HCV-infected patients were included in the study, 4 of whom also had mixed cryoglobulinemia. HCV RNA was present in the CD19 cells of all 15 patients, but only 5 (35.7%) of 14 and 5 (41.6%) of 12 showed H CV RNA in CD3 and CD14 cells, respectively (P < .001 by Fisher's test for each comparison), The median titer of HCV RNA was 1 PCR unit/380 C D19 cells, compared with median of 1 PCR unit/6600 PBMC as a whole. Ti tration was difficult in the CD3 and CD14 cells because of the frequen t negativity of the first diluted sample, This study suggests that HCV RNA is selectively concentrated in B cells.