Viral Hepatitis
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2005. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 14, 2005; 11(30): 4697-4702
Published online Aug 14, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i30.4697
Blood micronutrient, oxidative stress, and viral load in patients with chronic hepatitis C
Wang-Sheng Ko, Chih-Hung Guo, Maw-Sheng Yeh, Li-Yun Lin, Guoo-Shyng W. Hsu, Pei-Chung Chen, Mei-Ching Luo, Chia-Yeh Lin
Wang-Sheng Ko, Department of Food and Nutrition, Hung Kuang University; Department of Internal Medicine, Kuang-Tien General Hospital, Taichung 433, Taiwan, China
Chih-Hung Guo, Maw-Sheng Yeh, Li-Yun Lin, Mei-Ching Luo, Chia-Yeh Lin, Department of Food and Nutrition, Hung Kuang University, Taichung 433, Taiwan, China
Guoo-Shyng W. Hsu, Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Fu Jen University, Taipei 242, Taiwan, China
Pei-Chung Chen, Department of Biotechnology, Hung Kuang University, Taichung 433, Taiwan, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the Kuang-Tien General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, China
Correspondence to: Chih-Hung Guo, Department of Food and Nutrition, Hung Kuang University, Taichung 433, Taiwan, China. eillyguo@sunrise.hk.edu.tw
Telephone: +886-42631-8652-5037 Fax: +886-42631-9176
Received: October 10, 2004
Revised: December 20, 2004
Accepted: December 23, 2004
Published online: August 14, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To assess the extent of micronutrient and oxidative stress in blood and to examine their linkages with viral loads in chronic hepatitis C patients.

METHODS: Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-RNA levels were quantified in the serum from 37 previously untreated patients with chronic hepatitis C. The plasma and erythrocyte micronutrients (zinc, selenium, copper, and iron) were estimated, and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were determined as a marker to detect oxidative stress. Antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities in blood were also measured. The control group contained 31 healthy volunteers.

RESULTS: The contents of zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se) in plasma and erythrocytes were significantly lower in hepatitis C patients than in the controls. On the contrary, copper (Cu) levels were significantly higher. Furthermore, plasma and erythrocyte MDA levels, and the SOD and GR activities in erythrocytes significantly increased in hepatitis C patients compared to the controls. However, the plasma GPX activity in patients was markedly lower. Plasma Se (r = -0.730, P < 0.05), Cu (r = 0.635), and GPX (r = -0.675) demonstrated correlations with HCV-RNA loads. Significant correlation coefficients were also observed between HCV-RNA levels and erythrocyte Zn (r = -0.403), Se (r = -0.544), Cu (r = 0.701) and MDA (r = 0.629) and GR (r = 0.441).

CONCLUSION: The levels of Zn, Se, Cu, and oxidative stress (MDA), as well as related anti-oxidative enzymes (GR and GPX) in blood have important impact on the viral factors in chronic hepatitis C. The distribution of these parameters might be significant biomarkers for HCV.

Keywords: Micronutrient; Oxidative stress; Viral load; Plasma and erythrocytes; Hepatitis C