Restoring Inflammatory Mediator Balance after Sofosbuvir-Induced Viral Clearance in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C

Abstract EN

This study aimed at analyzing circulating levels of inflammatory and profibrogenic cytokines in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) chronic infection undergoing therapy with direct-acting antiviral agents (DAA) and correlating these immune biomarkers with liver disease status.

We studied 88 Brazilian monoinfected chronic hepatitis C patients receiving interferon- (IFN-) free sofosbuvir-based regimens for 12 or 24 weeks, followed-up before therapy initiation and three months after the end of treatment.

Liver disease was determined by transient elastography, in addition to APRI and FIB-4 indexes.

Analysis of 30 immune mediators was carried out by multiplex or enzymatic immunoassays.

Sustained virological response rate was 98.9%.

Serum levels of cytokines were increased in HCV-infected patients when compared to control group.

CCL-2, CCL-3, CCL-4, CXCL-8, CXCL-10, IL-1β, IL-15, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, TGF-β, FGFb, and PAI-1 decreased significantly after antiviral therapy, reaching values similar to noninfected controls.

TGF-β and suPAR levels were associated with fibrosis/cirrhosis.

Also, we observed amelioration in hepatic parameters after DAA treatment.

Together, our results suggest that viral control induced by IFN-free DAA therapy restores inflammatory mediators in association with improvement in liver function.