INTRAHEPATIC DETECTION OF INSULIN RECEPTOR SUBSTRATE 2 IN CHRONIC HEPATITIS C PATIENTS

Insulin Receptor Substrate

Abstract

Objective: To detect hepatic insulin receptor substrate 2 in chronic hepatitis C patients.
Study Design: Comparative study.
Place and Duration of Study: Center for research in experimental and applied medicine (CREAM), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Army Medical College and Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi, from Dec 2011 to Nov 2012. Diagnosed patients of chronic hepatitis C were included in the study. Known cases of diabetes mellitus, patients with pancreatic disease and liver pathology other than hepatitis C were excluded from the study.
Material and Methods: Twenty seropositive non diabetic HCV infected patients and 10 control subjects were recruited. Liver biopsy specimen was obtained from seropositive HCV patients while blood samples were obtained from controls as biopsy sample was not possible from normal controls. Both types of speciens were studied for detection of insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS-2).
Results: No alteration in the content of insulin receptor substrate 2 in both seropositive patients and control
samples were detected.
Conclusion: Hepatitis C virus has no effect on insulin receptor substrate 2 content thus indicating absence of hepatic insulin resistance in patients with HCV infection.