Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:2.6.1.2 (alanine aminotransferase)
 26,722 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The characteristics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) X antigen (HBxAg) and antibodies against the X antigen (anti-HBx) and the viral polymerase (anti-pol) were determined in 85 HBV-infected patients. HBxAg was detected in sera positive for HBV e antigen (HBeAg) and HBV DNA in patients with acute and chronic hepatitis, while anti-HBx appeared when markers of viral replication became undetectable. HBxAg was common in the liver among patients with chronic hepatitis independent of HBV replication markers but was closely correlated with elevated alanine aminotransferase, implying that HBxAg in liver may be important in the pathogenesis of chronic infection. Anti-pol was detected in many samples positive for HBeAg and HBV DNA and less often in serum samples without markers of HBV replication, suggesting that this marker could reflect ongoing viral replication in the liver, even though such markers were absent from sera.
 ...
PMID:Characteristics of hepatitis B X antigen, antibodies to X antigen, and antibodies to the viral polymerase during hepatitis B virus infection. 195 10

The cytokine pattern on viral antigen recognition is believed to exert a profound influence on the resolution of viral infections and viral clearance. This study was initiated to investigate whether a cytokine imbalance oriented toward Th2 type response plays a role in chronic hepatitis B. Cytokine profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells associated with chronic hepatitis B were analysed by RT-PCR. Upon HBsAg stimulation, expression of IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10 was detected in 41%, 8%, 41%, and 50% of the patients, respectively. Among these cytokines, the expression of IFN-gamma was associated with high levels of serum AST/ALT. However, we could not prove that Th2 type cytokines had a protective effect on hepatocytes. Upon HBxAg stimulation, there was no recognizable association of cytokine patterns with AST/ALT levels. In conclusion, production of a Th1 cytokine, IFN-gamma, by HBsAg-reactive cells was associated with hepatocyte damage in chronic hepatitis B, while no counteracting effect of Th2 cytokines produced by those cells was observed.
 ...
PMID:Expression of Th1 and Th2 type cytokines responding to HBsAg and HBxAg in chronic hepatitis B patients. 1033 64