Ruiz-Extremera, AngelesMuñoz-Gámez, José AntonioAbril-Molina, AnaSalmerón-Ruiz, María AngustiasMuñoz-de-Rueda, PalomaPavón-Castillero, Esther JoséQuiles-Pérez, RosaCarazo, AngelGila, AnaJimenez-Ruiz, Sergio ManuelCasado, JorgeMartín, Ana BelénSanjuán-Núñez, LauraOcete-Hita, EstherLópez Viota, JuliánLeón, JosefaSalmerón, Javier2014-11-132014-11-132013-10-10Ruiz-Extremera A, Muñoz-Gámez JA, Abril-Molina A, Salmerón-Ruiz MA, Muñoz-de-Rueda P, Pavón-Castillero EJ, et al. Variation of transaminases, HCV-RNA levels and Th1/Th2 cytokine production during the post-partum period in pregnant women with chronic hepatitis C. PLoS ONE. 2013; 8(10):e75613http://hdl.handle.net/10668/1771Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't;This study analyses the evolution of liver disease in women with chronic hepatitis C during the third trimester of pregnancy and the post-partum period, as a natural model of immune modulation and reconstitution. Of the 122 mothers recruited to this study, 89 were HCV-RNA+ve/HIV-ve and 33 were HCV-RNA-ve/HIV-ve/HCVantibody+ve and all were tested during the third trimester of pregnancy, at delivery and post-delivery. The HCV-RNA+ve mothers were categorized as either Type-A (66%), with an increase in ALT levels in the post-partum period (>40 U/L; P<0.001) or as Type-B (34%), with no variation in ALT values. The Type-A mothers also presented a significant decrease in serum HCV-RNA levels in the post-delivery period (P<0.001) and this event was concomitant with an increase in Th1 cytokine levels (INFγ, P = 0.04; IL12, P = 0.01 and IL2, P = 0.01). On the other hand, the Type-B mothers and the HCV-RNA-ve women presented no variations in either of these parameters. However, they did present higher Th1 cytokine levels in the partum period (INFγ and IL2, P<0.05) than both the Type-A and the HCV-RNA-ve women. Cytokine levels at the moment of delivery do not constitute a risk factor associated with HCV vertical transmission. It is concluded that differences in the ALT and HCV-RNA values observed in HCV-RNA+ve women in the postpartum period might be due to different ratios of Th1 cytokine production. In the Type-B women, the high partum levels of Th1 cytokines and the absence of post-partum variation in ALT and HCV-RNA levels may be related to permanent Th1 cytokine stimulation.enInterleucinasARN ViralAlanina TransaminasaPeríodo de PostpartoMedical Subject Headings::Chemicals and Drugs::Enzymes and Coenzymes::Enzymes::Transferases::Nitrogenous Group Transferases::Transaminases::Alanine TransaminaseMedical Subject Headings::Check Tags::FemaleMedical Subject Headings::Phenomena and Processes::Genetic Phenomena::GenotypeMedical Subject Headings::Organisms::Viruses::Hepatitis Viruses::HepacivirusMedical Subject Headings::Diseases::Virus Diseases::Hepatitis, Viral, Human::Hepatitis C::Hepatitis C, ChronicMedical Subject Headings::Organisms::Eukaryota::Animals::Chordata::Vertebrates::Mammals::Primates::Haplorhini::Catarrhini::Hominidae::HumansInfectious Disease Transmission, VerticalMedical Subject Headings::Chemicals and Drugs::Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins::Peptides::Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins::Cytokines::InterleukinsMedical Subject Headings::Phenomena and Processes::Reproductive and Urinary Physiological Phenomena::Reproductive Physiological Phenomena::Postpartum PeriodMedical Subject Headings::Phenomena and Processes::Reproductive and Urinary Physiological Phenomena::Reproductive Physiological Phenomena::Reproductive Physiological Processes::Reproduction::PregnancyMedical Subject Headings::Chemicals and Drugs::Nucleic Acids, Nucleotides, and Nucleosides::Nucleic Acids::RNA::RNA, ViralMedical Subject Headings::Phenomena and Processes::Chemical Phenomena::Biochemical Phenomena::Th1-Th2 BalanceMedical Subject Headings::Named Groups::Persons::Age Groups::Adultresearch article24130726open access10.1371/journal.pone.00756131932-6203PMC3794969