TY - JOUR
T1 - Hepatitis C virus RNA localization in human carotid plaques
AU - Boddi, Maria
AU - Abbate, Rosanna
AU - Chellini, Benedetta
AU - Giusti, Betti
AU - Giannini, Carlo
AU - Pratesi, Giovanni
AU - Rossi, Luciana
AU - Pratesi, Carlo
AU - Gensini, Gian Franco
AU - Paperetti, Laura
AU - Zignego, Anna Linda
PY - 2010/1
Y1 - 2010/1
N2 - Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has certain characteristics that enable it to play an important role in atherosclerosis. Some studies report its association with an increased risk of carotid artery plaque. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of HCV genomic sequences and replicative intermediates in plaque tissues. Study Design: A cohort of consecutive, prospectively recruited patients with HCV infection and chronic ischemic heart disease from the Cardiology, Vascular Surgery and Hepatology Units of a University Hospital in Florence, Italy, were studied. Results: Positive-strand HCV RNA was detected in seven carotid plaque tissues from anti-HCV-positive patients and was not detected in the nine carotid plaque tissues obtained from anti-HCV-negative patients. In three patients, HCV RNA was found in carotid plaque and not in serum. HCV replicative intermediates were detected in three plaque samples. Direct sequencing of HCV RNA from the plaque and serum showed HCV genotypes 2 (five cases) and 1 (two cases). Conclusions: The novel finding of HCV RNA sequences in plaque tissue strongly suggests an active local infection. This in turn makes it conceivable that the virus may exert local action in carotid atherosclerosis.
AB - Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has certain characteristics that enable it to play an important role in atherosclerosis. Some studies report its association with an increased risk of carotid artery plaque. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of HCV genomic sequences and replicative intermediates in plaque tissues. Study Design: A cohort of consecutive, prospectively recruited patients with HCV infection and chronic ischemic heart disease from the Cardiology, Vascular Surgery and Hepatology Units of a University Hospital in Florence, Italy, were studied. Results: Positive-strand HCV RNA was detected in seven carotid plaque tissues from anti-HCV-positive patients and was not detected in the nine carotid plaque tissues obtained from anti-HCV-negative patients. In three patients, HCV RNA was found in carotid plaque and not in serum. HCV replicative intermediates were detected in three plaque samples. Direct sequencing of HCV RNA from the plaque and serum showed HCV genotypes 2 (five cases) and 1 (two cases). Conclusions: The novel finding of HCV RNA sequences in plaque tissue strongly suggests an active local infection. This in turn makes it conceivable that the virus may exert local action in carotid atherosclerosis.
KW - Carotid atherosclerosis
KW - Hepatitis C virus
KW - Plaque infection
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jcv.2009.10.005
DO - 10.1016/j.jcv.2009.10.005
M3 - Article
C2 - 19896417
AN - SCOPUS:72149090654
VL - 47
SP - 72
EP - 75
JO - Journal of Clinical Virology
JF - Journal of Clinical Virology
SN - 1386-6532
IS - 1
ER -