Alteration of B cell function by hepatitis C virus

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is associated epidemiologically with B cell lymphoma. Recent reports have documented that these lymphomas can regress when patients are treated with antiviral therapy for their coexistent HCV. This exciting result implies that the continued presence of the virus is necessary for the survival of the lymphoma cells. HCV is also known to be the primary cause of mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC), a benign B cell proliferative disorder that can sometimes progresses to lymphoma. The connection between HCV infection and these B cell lymphoproliferative diseases may serve as an important model for how an immune response can go awry and lead to lymphoma. We hypothesize that rare B cells, which recognize the foreign viral antigen(s), could be diverted by the virus from its immune function to uncontrolled proliferation.