Detection of hepatitis C virus RNA and core protein in keratinocytes from patients with cutaneous lichen planus and chronic hepatitis C

Cutaneous lichen planus has been associated in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. It is still unknown whether hepatitis C virus infects keratinocytes of lichen planus lesions. In this report we have analyzed the presence of genomic and antigenomic hepatitis C virus RNA in skin biopsies from 26 patients with chronic hepatitis C and healthy skin and from 24 patients with cutaneous lichen planus (five with and 19 without hepatitis C virus infection) by in situ hybridization. Hepatitis C virus RNA was detected in the keratinocytes of 69% of the patients with healthy skin and chronic hepatitis C, in 100% of the patients with lichen planus and hepatitis C virus infection, and in none of lichen planus patients without hepatitis C virus infection. The percentage of keratinocytes showing genomic or anti-genomic hepatitis C virus RNA was statistically lower (p < 0.01 in all cases) in patients with healthy skin (mean +/- SD: 5.7 +/- 3.5% and 2.7 +/- 3.1% of keratinocytes with genomic or anti-genomic hepatitis C virus RNA, respectively) than in those with lichen planus lesions (31.7 +/- 7.9% and 18.8 +/- 7.4%, mean +/- SD) or the unaffected adjacent skin (24.8 +/- 6.9% and 14.3 +/- 3.8%, mean +/- SD). In conclusion, we have demonstrated that hepatitis C virus infects keratinocytes from patients with lichen planus and hepatitis C virus infection.