Interferon alfa down‐regulates CD81 in patients with chronic hepatitis C
Bernd Kronenberger, Brigitte Rüster, Robert Elez, Stephan Weber, Albrecht Piiper, Jung‐Hun Lee, W. Kurt Roth, Stefan Zeuzem – 30 December 2003 – CD81 protein has been shown to bind hepatitis C virus (HCV) envelope 2 (E2) glycoprotein in vitro and may act as a (co)receptor for HCV. Regulation of CD81 expression by interferon alfa (IFN‐α) and ribavirin could thereby affect the response to antiviral therapy.