Anti-Gor antibodies in patients with porphyria cutanea tarda. Relationship with delta amino levulinic acid and specific immunoglobulin-M anti-hepatitis-C-virus-core levels

The name GOR has been given to a specific antigen expressed by hepatic cells following the infection by hepatitis C virus. This antigen may be considered as an epitope inducing an auto-immune response, that requires further considerations in relations to its pathogenetic and diagnostic significance. As the anti-GOR reactivity has been associated with the HCV virus replication, we decided to investigate the presence and levels of this antigen in 97 patients affected by porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT), all positives for HCV infection. Anti-GOR reactivity was present in 69.1% of the sera examined, with no relation with sex, age, alcohol consumption, familiarity for PCT or remission of this disease. On the contrary the levels of anti-GOR antibodies correlated with the presence of chronic active hepatitis, especially in not alcohol consuming patients. In chronic persistent hepatitis, high positivity was found in patients presenting antibodies against all the following HCV antigens: Core, NS3, NS4. Anti-GOR positivity correlated also with the levels of IgM specific against HCV core antigen especially in non alcoholic patients. Furthermore statistically significant correlations could be demonstrated between anti-GOR, anti-HCV IgM ant the excretion in urine of delta amino levulinic acid. This fact suggests a possible relationship between hepatopathy and induction of PCT.