CHANGES OF CHRONIC HEPATITIS-C VIRUS ANTI-CORE AND ENVELOPE ANTIBODIES BY INTERFERON THERAPY

We measured the levels of three antibodies against core (JCC-2), El (E 1-5), and E2/NS1 (E2-1) hepatitis C virus (HCV) before and after inter feron (IFN) therapy in 22 patients with chronic hepatitis C and assess ed the relationship between the changes in these antibody titers and t he response to IFN. The titers of serum JCC-2 and E2-1 antibodies befo re the IFN therapy did not show any significant relationship with IFN efficacy. In contrast, the titer of E1-5 antibody was significantly lo wer in the complete responder (CR) group than in the non-responder (NR ) group. The JCC-2 antibody titer of the CR group to IFN therapy showe d a significant decrease immediately, at 6 months and 1 year after the completion of IFN administration. However, that of the NR group eithe r did not change or rose again 6 months or 1 year after therapy follow ing an immediate short-term decrease. Thus the E1-5 antibody titer bef ore IFN therapy and the JCC-2 antibody titer during IFN therapy seems to be a good indicator of IFN efficacy. In contrast, the E2-1 antibody did not correlate with IFN efficacy.