Panel A shows a line graph depicting luciferase activity percentage over three time points (TP1, TP2, TP3) for 15 cases. The y axis represents luciferase activity percentage, and the x axis represents the time points. Panel B shows a dot plot comparing serum interferon 2 concentrations in hepatitis C patients without interferon treatment and healthy controls. The y axis represents interferon 2 concentration in picograms per milliliter, and the x axis differentiates between the two groups. Panel C shows a dot plot comparing serum interferon 2 concentrations in AAN interferon 2 positive individuals between hepatitis C patients and healthy controls. The y axis represents interferon 2 concentration in picograms per milliliter, and the x axis differentiates between the two groups. Panel D shows a dot plot comparing serum interferon 2 concentrations in AAN interferon 2 negative individuals between hepatitis C patients and healthy controls. The y axis represents interferon 2 concentration in picograms per milliliter, and the x axis differentiates between the two groups. Each panel includes a Mann Whitney U test p value indicating statistical significance.
Temporal changes in AAN-IFN-α2 neutralizing activity and serum IFN-α2 concentrations in patients with hepatitis C. (A) Temporal dynamics of AAN-IFN-α2 (100 pg/ml) detection in 15 cases from the IFN-α treatment (+) group with AAN-IFN-α2. Neutralization assays were performed at three time points (TPs): TP1 (before IFN-α treatment initiation), TP2 (6 mo after treatment initiation), and TP3 (the most recent sample collected before the COVID-19 pandemic). At TP1, only one patient (6.7%) presented neutralizing activity. At TP2, eight cases (53.3%) tested positive. All patients tested positive at least once (data not shown), but 80% (12/15) had lost neutralizing activity by TP3. (B–D) Serum IFN-α2 concentrations were measured in 77 patients without IFN-α, including 27 AAN-IFN-α2–positive patients, and 19 healthy controls, including seven AAN-IFN-α2–positive individuals, using the ProQuantum Human IFN-α Immunoassay. The LOD was 0.05 pg/ml; values below the LOD were assigned a value of 0.05 pg/ml for graphical presentation and statistical analysis. (B) Serum IFN-α2 concentrations were higher in hepatitis C patients without IFN-α than in healthy controls (median, 13.7 pg/ml [range: <LOD to 140.0 pg/ml] vs. below the LOD [<LOD to 13.6 pg/ml]; P = 0.0002). (C) Among AAN-IFN-α2–positive individuals, serum IFN-α2 concentrations were higher in patients with hepatitis C than in healthy controls (median, 5.4 pg/ml [range: <LOD to 40.9 pg/ml] vs. below the LOD in all seven controls; P = 0.015). (D) Among AAN-IFN-α2–negative individuals, serum IFN-α2 concentrations were higher in patients with hepatitis C than in healthy controls (median, 15.8 pg/ml [range: <LOD to 140.0 pg/ml] vs. 0.23 pg/ml [<LOD to 13.6 pg/ml]; P = 0.0034).