The effect of interferon therapy on erythrocyte membrane Na+,K+ ATP activity in patients with chronic hepatitis B and C virus infections

Abstract

In order to evaluate the effect of alpha interferon on erythrocyte membrane Na+,K+ ATPase (EC 3.6.1.37) activity, 10 patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and 8 patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection were investigated. Erythrocyte membrane Na+,K+ ATPase activity was determined in controls and in patients with HBV and HCV infection. Na+,K+ ATPase activity was significantly less in untreated patients with (HBV) infection (n = 20; 0,134 ± 0,073 μmol of phosphate produced per milligram of protein per hour) and (HCV) infection (n = 11; 0,144 ± 0,049) when compared to the controls (n = 10, 0,219 ± 0,055). Among these subjects patients were treated with interferon and following treatment, significant elevation of Na+,K+ ATPase activity was seen in patients with HCV (n = 8; 0,183 ± 0,044; P = 0,049) and HBV (n = 10, 0,213 ± 9,095, P = 0,0069) infections when compared with the pre-treatment values (n = 8; 0,152 ± 0,050) and (n = 10, 0,131 ± 0,083), respectively. Normalization of serum alanin amino transferase levels (ALT) at treatment cessation was seen in 8 of 10 (%80) HBV infected patients of whom 2 of 8 (%25) had sustained ALT responses within three months after the end of treatment. In HCV infected patients 1 of 8 (%12,5) had sustained response following treatment. At the end of treatment, although Na+,K+ ATPase was restored in both of the patients groups, relative changes in enzyme activity in relation to relative reduction in ALT levels as a response to IFN therapy were not correlated.