Expression of bcl-2 protein in chronic hepatitis C: Effect of interferon alpha 2b with ribavirin therapy

Table 1 Clinical characteristics of patients with chronic hepatitis C (mean±SD).

Woman/man (n)	14/16
Age (yr)	38.0±13.6
Duration of HCV infection (yr)	2.4±1.7
	Before treatment	After treatment
ALT/AST (U/L)	80±61/78±46	53±56/65±41
ALP/GGT (U/L)	89±22/62±41	79±21/55±26
Albumin/gamma globulin (g/dL)	3.7±0.4/1.2±0.3	3.9±0.9/1.3±0.5
HCV-RNA positive (n)	30	20
Inflammatory activity (grading), score1
Periportal: 1/2/3/4 (n)	6/8/16/0	10/4/16/0
Intralobular: 1/2/3/4 (n)	18/12/0/0	16/14/0/0
Fibrosis (staging), score:1/2/3/4 (n)	20/8/2/0	16/12/2/0

¹According to Scheuer classification (1991).

Table 2 Expression of bcl-2 protein on hepatocytes and lymphocytes in liver tissue before and after treatment with IFNα2b and RBV (mean±SD).

Chronic hepatitis C, total, n = 30	Before treatment	After treatment	P
Hepatocytes (%)	92±12	87±11	<0.05
Liver-associated lymphocytes (%)	37±26	27±21	NS
Responders, n = 10
Hepatocytes (%)	87±15	83±20	NS
Liver-associated lymphocytes	28±18	26±10	NS
Non-responders, n = 20
Hepatocytes (%)	94±32	88±21	<0.05
Liver-associated lymphocytes (%)	39±29	28±12	NS

Table 3 Intensity of bcl-2 protein expression on hepatocytes and liver lymphocytes in patients with chronic hepatitis C during IFNα2b and RBV therapy.

Intensity of accumulation	Bcl-2 in hepatocytes (%)		Bcl-2 in liver lymphocytes (%)
	Before	After	Before	After
High granular (n)	21	9	15	13
Moderate (n)	9	21	15	17
χ2 test	P>0.1		P>0.5