Induction of Interleukin-6 by Hepatitis C Virus Core Protein in Hepatitis C-associated Mixed Cryoglobulinemia and B-cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Purpose: Chronic hepatitis C carries the risk to develop mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) and B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-NHL), possibly because viral antigens stimulate the host's inflammatory response via extracellular pattern recognition receptors (PRR). To clarify this issue, we studied whether recognition of hepatitis C virus (HCV) proteins by PRR is involved in the pathogenesis of HCV-associated MC or B-NHL.

Experimental Design: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with HCV-associated B-NHL (n = 12), MC (n = 14), uncomplicated hepatitis C (n = 12), and healthy volunteers (n = 12) were incubated with the recombinant HCV proteins E2, core, and NS3 to study induction of cytokine production, stimulation of B-cell proliferation, and immunoglobulin secretion. In addition, serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured by ELISA.

Results: HCV core was the only studied protein, which induced production of IL-6 and IL-8 in CD14(+) cells. IL-6 induction was mediated via Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and lead to increased B-cell proliferation in vitro. TLR2 expression on monocytes and IL-6 serum concentrations were increased in all groups of HCV-infected patients compared with healthy controls and were highest in MC (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: Increased secretion of IL-6 via stimulation of TLR2 by HCV core protein may play a role in the pathogenesis of hepatitis C-associated MC and B-NHL.