Publicação
Hepatitis C Virus: An Overview of Its Chronic Impact on Liver Function, Metabolic Dysregulation, Inflammatory–Oxidative Pathogenesis and Epigenetic Memory
| datacite.subject.fos | Ciências Médicas | |
| datacite.subject.sdg | 03:Saúde de Qualidade | |
| dc.contributor.author | Ferreira, Joana | |
| dc.contributor.author | Caldeira, João | |
| dc.contributor.author | Bicho, Manuel | |
| dc.contributor.author | Faustino, Paula | |
| dc.contributor.author | Serejo, Fátima | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-09-30T15:17:24Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-09-30T15:17:24Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2026-04-16 | |
| dc.description | This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Inflammatory and Oxidative Disease Research. | |
| dc.description.abstract | Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a global health concern, chronically affecting over 71 million people. It primarily targets the liver but also causes systemic complications through inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolic dysregulation. HCV is a highly variable RNA virus with six major genotypes that are mainly transmitted via blood. Often asymptomatic, the infection progresses silently to chronic hepatitis C (CHC), which can lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have revolutionized treatment, achieving cure rates above 95%, improving liver function, reversing fibrosis, and normalizing metabolism. HCV disrupts iron metabolism by suppressing hepcidin, causing iron overload and oxidative stress. It also alters lipid metabolism, inducing steatosis, and affects glucose metabolism, contributing to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. DAAs improve these metabolic outcomes. HCV promotes oxidative stress via viral proteins, damaging liver cells and DNA and triggering inflammation and fibrogenesis. Even post-cure, oxidative stress and iron overload may continue to drive disease progression. Genetic and epigenetic factors influence fibrosis progression and HCC risk. Despite a sustained virologic response (SVR), patients with advanced liver damage remain at risk for HCC and metabolic diseases, highlighting the need for continued monitoring and personalized post-treatment care. | eng |
| dc.description.sponsorship | This research was funded by the Institute for Scientific Research Bento Rocha Cabral and Technology and the Foundation for Science and Technology (PTDC/SAU-GMG/103307/2008; PhD scholarship: PDE/BDE/114585/2016), and the APC was funded by the funds from the Foundation for Science and Technology to ISAMB (UID/04295/2025, UID/PRR/04295/2025, and UID/PRR2/04295/2025). | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Int J Mol Sci. 2026 Apr 16;27(8):3559. doi: 10.3390/ijms27083559 | |
| dc.identifier.doi | 10.3390/ijms27083559 | |
| dc.identifier.eissn | 1422-0067 | |
| dc.identifier.issn | 1661-6596 | |
| dc.identifier.pmid | 42074199 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/11358 | |
| dc.language.iso | eng | |
| dc.peerreviewed | yes | |
| dc.publisher | MDPI | |
| dc.relation | PTDC/SAU-GMG/103307/2008 | |
| dc.relation | PDE/BDE/114585/2016 | |
| dc.relation | UID/04295/2025 | |
| dc.relation | UID/PRR/04295/2025 | |
| dc.relation | UID/PRR2/04295/2025 | |
| dc.relation.hasversion | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/8/3559 | |
| dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | |
| dc.subject | Chronic Hepatitis C | |
| dc.subject | Inflammatory–Oxidative Pathogenesis | |
| dc.subject | Liver Damage | |
| dc.subject | Metabolic Dysregulation | |
| dc.subject | Hepatite C Crónica | |
| dc.subject | Doenças Genéticas | |
| dc.subject | Metabolismo do Ferro | |
| dc.title | Hepatitis C Virus: An Overview of Its Chronic Impact on Liver Function, Metabolic Dysregulation, Inflammatory–Oxidative Pathogenesis and Epigenetic Memory | eng |
| dc.type | journal article | |
| dspace.entity.type | Publication | |
| oaire.citation.issue | 8 | |
| oaire.citation.startPage | 3559 | |
| oaire.citation.title | International Journal of Molecular Sciences | |
| oaire.citation.volume | 27 | |
| oaire.version | http://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85 |