INTERFERON THERAPY OF CRYOGLOBULINEMIA

The broad goal of this proposal is to explore interrelationships between Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection, lymphoproliferation, and autoimmune disease in the pathogenesis of the syndrome of Mixed Cryoglobulinemia (MC). To this end, we will: (1) Assess the prevalence of HCV infection in MC. (2) Obtain HCV-specific human monoclonal antibodies. (3) Develop HCV- specific T-cell lines and clones, and (4) Precisely characterize the responses of select patients with MC being treated with IFN alpha. These studies will provide information relevant to other diseases in which antigen-driven dyspropteinemia or cryoglobulinemia may occur, and extend appreciation of the enlarging spectrum of HCV-associated disease. In addition, the in vivo accts of IFNalpha in this and related disorders will be delineated.