Measures of insulin resistance and beta cell function before and after treatment of HCV infection

Jizheng Chen; Pan Qiu; Tingfeng Zhao; Haowei Jiang; Kebinur Tursun; Sulaiman Ksimu; Xinwen Chen; Qian Wang

doi:10.1016/j.virs.2024.06.007

August 2024

Citation: Jizheng Chen, Pan Qiu, Tingfeng Zhao, Haowei Jiang, Kebinur Tursun, Sulaiman Ksimu, Xinwen Chen, Qian Wang. Measures of insulin resistance and beta cell function before and after treatment of HCV infection .VIROLOGICA SINICA, 2024, 39(4) : 667-674. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.virs.2024.06.007

Measures of insulin resistance and beta cell function before and after treatment of HCV infection

Jizheng Chen ^{a,c,d
,,} ,
Pan Qiu ^b ,
Tingfeng Zhao ^b ,
Haowei Jiang ^b ,
Kebinur Tursun ^e ,
Sulaiman Ksimu ^e ,
Xinwen Chen ^{c,d
,,} ,
Qian Wang ^{b
,,}

a. State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510182, China;
b. Jiangsu Province Key Lab of Human Functional Genomics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China;
c. State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China;
d. Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, 510005, China;
e. The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumchi, 830054, China

Corresponding author: Jizheng Chen, chen_jizheng@gzlab.ac.cn
Xinwen Chen, chen_xinwen@gzlab.ac.cn
Qian Wang, wqian@njmu.edu.cn
Received Date: 31 December 2023
Accepted Date: 19 June 2024
Available online: 29 June 2024

Abstract

The association between chronic HCV infection and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been established; however, there is limited research on β-cell function particularly in the pre-diabetic population. Here, we evaluated indices of β-cell function and insulin sensitivity across the spectrum from normal glucose tolerance to T2DM in individuals with and without chronic hepatitis C (CHC), and the effects of antiviral treatments on these variables. A total of 153 non-cirrhotic, non-fibrotic CHC patients with a BMI <25 were enrolled in the study. Among them, 119 were successfully treated with either direct acting antiviral (DAA) drugs or pegylated interferon/ribavirin (IFN/RBV) anti-HCV therapy. Fasting state- and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)-derived indexes were used to evaluate β-cell function and insulin sensitivity. Among all subjects, 19 (13%) had T2DM and 21% exhibited pre-diabetes including 8% isolated impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and 13% combined IFG and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). Early and total insulin secretion adjusted for the degree of insulin resistance were decreased in pre-diabetic CHC patients compared to HCV-uninfected individuals. Viral eradication through DAA or IFN/RBV therapy demonstrated positive impacts on insulin sensitivity and β-cell function in CHC patients who achieved sustained virologic response (SVR), regardless of fasting or OGTT state. These findings emphasize the role of HCV in the development of β-cell dysfunction, while also suggesting that viral eradication can improve insulin secretion, reverse insulin resistance, and ameliorate glycemic control. These results have important implications for managing pre-diabetic CHC patients and could prevent diabetes-related clinical manifestations and complications.
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV)
- , Type 2 diabetes (T2DM)
- , Beta cell (β-cell)
- , Insulin secretion

Electronic Supplementary Material

10.1016j.virs.2024.06.007-ESM.docx
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