EFFECTS OF INTERFERON-ALPHA TREATMENT ON NEUTROPHIL OXIDATIVE-METABOLISM, LYMPHOCYTE-PROLIFERATION AND MONOCYTE HLA CLASS-I ANTIGEN EXPRESSION IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS-C

Polymorphonuclear cell (PMN) oxidative metabolism, lymphocyte polyclon al proliferation and monocyte HLA class I antigen expression were eval uated at different intervals of time in patients with chronic hepatiti s C (CH-C) subjected to a 6 month Interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) treatme nt and divided into Responder ('R') and Nonresponder ('NR') subsets ac cording to clinical outcome. Before therapy, all subjects exhibited mu ltiple immune alterations even if to a different extent between 'R' an d 'NR' subsets: an elevated superoxide anion (O-2(-)) generation by su spended PMN, a failure to further increase neutrophil oxidative respon siveness under adherence conditions, an augmented phytohaemagglutin-in duced lymphocyte proliferative capacity and an enhanced HLA class I an tigen expression on CD14(+) cells. IFN-alpha administration gave rise to a modulation of oxidative response in 'R' group only, since these i ndividuals displayed an O-2(-) release by suspended and adherent PMN w hich fell within normal values. At the same time, a decrease of lympho cyte proliferation occurred in both groups of patients during IFN-alph a therapy, even if it reached statistical significance In 'R' group on ly. Finally, a more marked difference between 'R' and 'NR' individuals was noted in terms of HLA class I antigen induction on CD14(+) cells at the end of therapy, as a consequence of a reduced expression of the se structures in 'NR' subjects. Alltogether, these findings suggest th e occurrence of a strict relationship between immunoresponsiveness and IFN-alpha induced therapeutical effects in CH-C patients.