Impact of hepatitis C virus [HCV] seropositivity on the serum protein electrophoretic pattern

ABSTRACT

The impact of HCV seropositivity on the serum protein electrophoretic pattern was analyzed. Abnormalities were tested for prediction of hepatic dysfunction. Sera were obtained from 20 asymptomatic patients seropositive for the virus and 20 control subjects. Sera were subjected to further testing of HCV seropositivity using the second generation enzyme immunonassay kit, and the pattern of binding of anti-HCV antibodies to HCV structural [C1 and C2] and non structural [NS3 and NS4] antigens was determined using the immunoblotting technique. The serum protein electrophoretic pattern was determined and the levels of the different fractions were tested for correlation to the levels of the liver enzymes, serum level of immunoglobulins and to the pattern of reactivity to structural and non structural HCV antigents. The results suggested the importance of the hypergammaglobulinemia as a marker of hepatic dysfunction in HCV seropositive patients, its level might be of value in the follow up of patients with normal liver transaminases levels