Treatment optimization of HBeAg-negative chronic viral hepatitis B with thymosin-α1
Journal Title: Αρχεία Ελληνικής Ιατρικής - Year 2010, Vol 27, Issue 4
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a widely prevalent and clinically significant condition with profound implications for health care costs worldwide. Interferon-α and direct antiviral nucleos(t)ide analogs such as lamivudine, entecavir, adefovir, telbivudine, tenofovir and clevudine, are effective in the therapy of chronic HBV infection, but efficacy is still found wanting, particularly in HBeAg-negative/anti-HBe-positive cases and in patients with lower levels of alanine aminotransferase. Well documented evidence supports the pivotal role of immunomodulation in the control of hepatitis B virus infection. Thymosin-α1, a 28-amino acid peptide derived from the amino end of the highly acidic protein prothymosin-α, is an immunomodulatory agent known to increase natural killer (NK), CD4 and CD8 cell counts, shift the immune response towards Th1 cells, increase MHC class I expression on virus infected cells, and inhibit viral replication by direct antiviral action. A differential cellular response has been observed within a range of prothymosin-α concentrations, and optimal concentrations associated with maximal response have been observed. These attributes of the parent molecule prothymosin-α can be assumed to be shared by thymosin-α1. Treatment of patients with chronic HBV infection with thymosin-α1, either alone or in combination with interferon-α, has yielded promising results. It is postulated that these results can be significantly improved by optimizing the dose of thymosin-α1 for individual patients to induce a maximum immunomodulatory response. Drug optimization will be determined by testing the mixed lymphocyte response of each patient to different doses of thymosin-α1, before the initiation of treatment.
Authors and Affiliations
G. HATZIS, O. TSOLAS
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP107845
- DOI -
- Views 67
- Downloads 0
The indices of renal calcium excretion should be checked for the correct diagnosis
No abstract available
The pathophysiology of cerebrovascular reactivity and its clinical approach
Cerebral blood flow autoregulation is the intrinsic ability of the cerebral vasculature to provide constant cerebral blood flow despite changes in the cerebral perfusion pressure or the systemic blood pressure. The under...
Εκτίμηση της αδελφικής σχέσης ανάμεσα σε δύο άτομα με ανάλυση DΝΑ<br /> στον Ελληνικό πληθυσμό
ΣΚΟΠΟΣ Με την ανάλυση DNA μπορεί να προσδιοριστεί αν δύο άτομα είναι αδέλφια, ακόμη και αν δεν είναι διαθέσιμο δείγμα των γονέων. Σκοπός αυτής της εργασίας είναι να προσδιοριστεί η αξιοπιστία της ανάλυσης συγγένειας στον...
The international practice of health technology assessment
The development of health technology assessment has assumed transnational dimensions in assessing interventions in the levels of technology, of policy of individual and of population, and it is determined by both interna...
Διαπανεπιστημιακή εναρμόνιση προπτυχιακής και μεταπτυχιακής εκπαίδευσης στην Ψυχιατρική. <br /> Κείμενα συμφωνίας των μελών του Ελληνικού Κολλεγίου Ακαδημαϊκής Ψυχιατρικής
Οι ραγδαίες εξελίξεις στο χώρο της Ψυχιατρικής, αλλά και οι απαιτήσεις των ευρωπαϊκών όπως και άλλων διεθνών οργάνων για την εκπαίδευση στην Ψυχιατρική, δημιουργούν μια αδήριτη ανάγκη εναρμόνισης των ελληνικών εκπαιδευτι...