Hepatitis C virus: from oxygen free radicals to hepatocellular carcinoma

Farinati, Fabio; Cardin, Romilda; Bortolami, Marina; Burra, Patrizia; Russo, Francesco Paolo; Rugge, Massimo; Guido, Maria; Sérgio, A.; Naccarato, R.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2893.2007.00878.x

Cited by 63 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 107 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…On the other hand, epidemiological evidence clearly indicates that among the mechanisms that have been implicated in the pro-carcinogenic effect of HCV infections, increased production of reactive oxygen species in the liver seems to have a major pathogenic role in the progression from chronic infl ammation to cancer [72].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Therapeutic Effects of Korean Red Ginseng Extract in Egyptian Patients with Chronic Liver Diseases

Abdel-Wahhab¹,

Gamil²,

El-Kady³

et al. 2011

Journal of Ginseng Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fi fth most common malignancy in the world and complicates liver cirrhosis related to hepatitis C virus (HCV) in many cases. We evaluated the therapeutic effect of Korean red ginseng extract (KGE) in patients with chronic liver diseases. Thirty male and female patients with HCC and another thirty with liver cirrhosis were included. Each category was divided into two groups; the fi rst was used as control group, and received medical therapy only and the second group received the medical therapy supplemented with KGE capsules. The treated group with HCC received three KGE capsules/day (900 mg) while the treated group with HCV received two KGE capsules/day (600 mg) for 11 weeks along with their medical therapy. All patients were subjected to clinical examination and laboratory investigations, including liver function tests (at baseline, after 6 weeks of treatment and at the end of the study) and abdominal ultrasonography. Patients showing focal hepatic lesions were subjected to triphasic spiral abdominal computerized tomography and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). HCV RNA was determined quantitatively by Roche for patients in the HCV group. Results showed that the medical therapy alone failed to normalize the liver enzymes or decrease the virus concentration. KGE administration induced a signifi cant improvement in liver function tests, decreased the tumor marker (AFP) levels, and decreased the viral titers in HCV patients. Thus, KGE demonstrated powerful therapeutic effects against HCV and liver cancer.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Therapeutic Effects of Korean Red Ginseng Extract in Egyptian Patients with Chronic Liver Diseases

Abdel-Wahhab¹,

Gamil²,

El-Kady³

et al. 2011

Journal of Ginseng Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Research into the role of structural and nonstructural proteins of HCV and the changes induced in cytokine expression oncogenes, antioncogenes, and intracellular kinases shows that HCV is by itself and not only through inflammation able to induce ROS, an effect specific to this virus [42]. This free radical production, accompanied by oxidative genomic injury, constitutes the first step of a cascade of genomic and postgenomic events that play an important role in HCC [43]. More information is necessary from recently introduced technologies for proteomics that will hopefully close the gap between hypothesis and understanding.…”

Section: Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Free Radicalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Role of free radicals in liver diseases

2009

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS) are produced by metabolism of normal cells. However, in liver diseases, redox is increased thereby damaging the hepatic tissue; the capability of ethanol to increase both ROS/RNS and peroxidation of lipids, DNA, and proteins was demonstrated in a variety of systems, cells, and species, including humans. ROS/RNS can activate hepatic stellate cells, which are characterized by the enhanced production of extracellular matrix and accelerated proliferation. Cross-talk between parenchymal and nonparenchymal cells is one of the most important events in liver injury and fibrogenesis; ROS play an important role in fibrogenesis throughout increasing platelet-derived growth factor. Most hepatocellular carcinomas occur in cirrhotic livers, and the common mechanism for hepatocarcinogenesis is chronic inflammation associated with severe oxidative stress; other risk factors are dietary aflatoxin B 1 consumption, cigarette smoking, and heavy drinking. Ischemia-reperfusion injury affects directly on hepatocyte viability, particularly during transplantation and hepatic surgery; ischemia activates Kupffer cells which are the main source of ROS during the reperfusion period. The toxic action mechanism of paracetamol is focused on metabolic activation of the drug, depletion of glutathione, and covalent binding of the reactive metabolite N-acetyl-pbenzoquinone imine to cellular proteins as the main cause of hepatic cell death; intracellular steps critical for cell death include mitochondrial dysfunction and, importantly, the formation of ROS and peroxynitrite. Infection with hepatitis C is associated with increased levels of ROS/RNS and decreased antioxidant levels. As a consequence, antioxidants have been proposed as an adjunct therapy for various liver diseases.

show abstract

“…According to WHO statistics, more than 2 billion people alive today have been infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) at some time in their lives, and of these, about 350 million remain chronically infected and are carriers of the virus. The WHO estimates that about 180 million people, 3% of the world's population, are infected with Hepatitis C virus (HCV), 130 million of whom are chronic HCV carriers at risk of developing liver cirrhosis and/or liver cancer (Farinati et al, 2007). It is estimated that three to four million people are newly infected each year, with 70% of them developing chronic hepatitis.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%