Table 2.

Speculated effects of iron on HCV

1 Immunological modification (Immunological escape of HCV)

Decrease of Th1 activity

Impaired function of macrophage and Kupffer cells

Decrease of innate immunity (Natural resistance macrophage protein 2)

2 Increase of liver toxicity by iron-mediated radical formation

Reactive oxygen production through fenton reaction

Induction of apoptosis

Acceleration of fibrinogenesis

DNA damage and carcinogenesis

3 Effect on cell signalling

Decrease of interferon responsiveness by NFκB activation

4 HCV proliferation

Activation of translation initiation factor 3 (eIF3)

Suppression of HCV RNA polymerase (NS5B) activity