Korea determines the mechanism of hepatitis C to damage the liver

On September 4, for the first time in the world, a group of South Korean scientists announced the determination of the mechanism of hepatitis C to destroy the liver, opening up the prospect of developing treatments that were not caused. Strong side effects.

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This study is published in the September issue of the international journal Hepatology.

Hepatitis C is an infectious disease caused by a virus and primarily affects the liver. Currently, although there is a treatment for this disease, it creates side effects that harm the liver.

According to a research team from the Korean Ministry of Advanced Science Institute (KAIST), this is mainly due to the inability to determine the mechanism of hepatitis C virus that actually affects the liver.

Choi Cheol-hee, a professor of biological engineering at KAIST, said: "This study will allow significant progress in the treatment of hepatitis C patients because it has identified the hepatitis virus. How does C interact with liver cells? "

According to a press release from KAIST, the study confirmed that the hepatitis C virus stimulates tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), which causes this protein to stimulate programmed cell death (apoptotic) and by that causes what can be described as liver self-destruction.

This means that TNF-α, which aims to fight hepatitis virus, actually kills healthy liver cells. Therefore, the study allows the development of a new drug with no side effects to minimize the liver damage during the treatment of this viral disease.