CD19-positive cells were isolated as B cells from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients infected with the hepatitis C virus and IFN-related gene expression was analyzed.
To investigate the association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) and B cell proliferation, we searched for the clonal B cells by flow cytometric analysis of the surface immunoglobulin kappa (kappa):lambda (lambda) light chain ratios of the circulating B (CD19+) cells in 240 HCV-positive patients and 150 negative controls with liver diseases.
Analysis of subpopulations isolated from bone marrow and peripheral blood samples showed HCV RNA sequences in mononuclear cells belonging either the CD2+ subset or to the CD19+ subpopulation or to the adherent cells.