Profile of expression of certain markers of apoptosis in chronic hepatitis C and hepatitis B patients in an Egyptian population.

Increased peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) apoptosis during viral hepatitis has been suggested to cause impaired regulation of the immune response and maintenance of the infection. The purpose of this work was to study the expression of some apoptotic markers in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC) infections in order to understand the underlying mechanisms of immune failure and viral persistence. This study aims to evaluate the level of PBMC apoptosis and the expression of the apoptosis-related proteins Fas and Bcl-2 in CHB and CHC patients. This case control study was carried out on 38 cases (group I: 20 chronic HCV patients; group II: 18 chronic HBV patients) attending the Tropical Medicine Clinic, Mansoura University Hospital, in addition to 10 healthy controls. Morphological assessment of apoptosis of cultured PBMCs was done. The level of Fas and Bcl-2 expression by PBMCs was detected using flow cytometry. An increased level of apoptosis correlated with increased Fas expression, but no increase in Bcl-2 expression was found on the surface of PBMCs in CHC and CHB patients compared to controls. No significant difference in the level of apoptosis, Fas, or Bcl2 expression between CHC and CHB patients was detected. Modulation of apoptosis, particularly by manipulation of Fas receptor activation, may be of therapeutic benefit in chronic CHB and CHC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]