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Llorens-Revull M, Costafreda MI, Rico A, Guerrero-Murillo M, Soria ME, Píriz-Ruzo S, Vargas-Accarino E, Gabriel-Medina P, Rodríguez-Frías F, Riveiro-Barciela M, Perales C, Quer J, Sauleda S, Esteban JI, Bes M. Partial restoration of immune response in Hepatitis C patients after viral clearance by direct-acting antiviral therapy. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0254243. [PMID: 34242330 PMCID: PMC8270431 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS HCV CD4+ and CD8+ specific T cells responses are functionally impaired during chronic hepatitis C infection. DAAs therapies eradicate HCV infection in more than 95% of treated patients. However, the impact of HCV elimination on immune responses remain controversial. Here, we aimed to investigate whether HCV cure by DAAs could reverse the impaired immune response to HCV. METHODS We analyzed 27 chronic HCV infected patients undergoing DAA treatment in tertiary care hospital, and we determined the phenotypical and functional changes in both HCV CD8+ and CD4+ specific T-cells before and after viral clearance. PD-1, TIM-3 and LAG-3 cell-surface expression was assessed by flow cytometry to determine CD4+ T cell exhaustion. Functional responses to HCV were analyzed by IFN-Ɣ ELISPOT, intracellular cytokine staining (IL-2 and IFN-Ɣ) and CFSE-based proliferation assays. RESULTS We observed a significant decrease in the expression of PD-1 in CD4+ T-cells after 12 weeks of viral clearance in non-cirrhotic patients (p = 0.033) and in treatment-naive patients (p = 0.010), indicating a partial CD4 phenotype restoration. IFN-Ɣ and IL-2 cytokines production by HCV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells remained impaired upon HCV eradication. Finally, a significant increase of the proliferation capacity of both HCV CD4+ and CD8+ specific T-cells was observed after HCV elimination by DAAs therapies. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that in chronically infected patients HCV elimination by DAA treatment lead to partial reversion of CD4+ T cell exhaustion. Moreover, proliferative capacity of HCV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells is recovered after DAA's therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meritxell Llorens-Revull
- Liver Diseases-Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Liver Unit, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron (HUVH), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Isabel Costafreda
- Liver Diseases-Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Liver Unit, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron (HUVH), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
- Transfusion Safety Laboratory, Banc de Sang i Teixits (BST), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Angie Rico
- Liver Diseases-Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Liver Unit, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron (HUVH), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Transfusion Safety Laboratory, Banc de Sang i Teixits (BST), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mercedes Guerrero-Murillo
- Liver Diseases-Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Liver Unit, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron (HUVH), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Eugenia Soria
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM), Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, UAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sofía Píriz-Ruzo
- Liver Diseases-Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Liver Unit, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron (HUVH), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elena Vargas-Accarino
- Liver Diseases-Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Liver Unit, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron (HUVH), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pablo Gabriel-Medina
- Liver Pathology Laboratory, Biochemistry and Microbiology Unit, Vall d’Hebron Hospital Universitari (HUVH), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francisco Rodríguez-Frías
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
- Liver Pathology Laboratory, Biochemistry and Microbiology Unit, Vall d’Hebron Hospital Universitari (HUVH), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
- Clinical Biochemistry Unit, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron (HUVH), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mar Riveiro-Barciela
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Liver Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron (HUVH), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Celia Perales
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM), Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, UAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Josep Quer
- Liver Diseases-Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Liver Unit, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron (HUVH), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Silvia Sauleda
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Transfusion Safety Laboratory, Banc de Sang i Teixits (BST), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan Ignacio Esteban
- Liver Diseases-Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Liver Unit, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron (HUVH), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
- Liver Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron (HUVH), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Bes
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Transfusion Safety Laboratory, Banc de Sang i Teixits (BST), Barcelona, Spain
- * E-mail:
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2
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Fernández-Ponce C, Durán-Ruiz MC, Narbona-Sánchez I, Muñoz-Miranda JP, Arbulo-Echevarria MM, Serna-Sanz A, Baumann C, Litrán R, Aguado E, Bloch W, García-Cozar F. Ultrastructural Localization and Molecular Associations of HCV Capsid Protein in Jurkat T Cells. Front Microbiol 2018; 8:2595. [PMID: 29354102 PMCID: PMC5758585 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus core protein is a highly basic viral protein that multimerizes with itself to form the viral capsid. When expressed in CD4+ T lymphocytes, it can induce modifications in several essential cellular and biological networks. To shed light on the mechanisms underlying the alterations caused by the viral protein, we have analyzed HCV-core subcellular localization and its associations with host proteins in Jurkat T cells. In order to investigate the intracellular localization of Hepatitis C virus core protein, we have used a lentiviral system to transduce Jurkat T cells and subsequently localize the protein using immunoelectron microscopy techniques. We found that in Jurkat T cells, Hepatitis C virus core protein mostly localizes in the nucleus and specifically in the nucleolus. In addition, we performed pull-down assays combined with Mass Spectrometry Analysis, to identify proteins that associate with Hepatitis C virus core in Jurkat T cells. We found proteins such as NOLC1, PP1γ, ILF3, and C1QBP implicated in localization and/or traffic to the nucleolus. HCV-core associated proteins are implicated in RNA processing and RNA virus infection as well as in functions previously shown to be altered in Hepatitis C virus core expressing CD4+ T cells, such as cell cycle delay, decreased proliferation, and induction of a regulatory phenotype. Thus, in the current work, we show the ultrastructural localization of Hepatitis C virus core and the first profile of HCV core associated proteins in T cells, and we discuss the functions and interconnections of these proteins in molecular networks where relevant biological modifications have been described upon the expression of Hepatitis C virus core protein. Thereby, the current work constitutes a necessary step toward understanding the mechanisms underlying HCV core mediated alterations that had been described in relevant biological processes in CD4+ T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Fernández-Ponce
- Department of Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Public Health, University of Cadiz and Institute of Biomedical Research Cádiz (INIBICA), Cadiz, Spain
| | - Maria C Durán-Ruiz
- Department of Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Public Health, University of Cadiz and Institute of Biomedical Research Cádiz (INIBICA), Cadiz, Spain
| | - Isaac Narbona-Sánchez
- Department of Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Public Health, University of Cadiz and Institute of Biomedical Research Cádiz (INIBICA), Cadiz, Spain
| | - Juan P Muñoz-Miranda
- Department of Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Public Health, University of Cadiz and Institute of Biomedical Research Cádiz (INIBICA), Cadiz, Spain
| | - Mikel M Arbulo-Echevarria
- Department of Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Public Health, University of Cadiz and Institute of Biomedical Research Cádiz (INIBICA), Cadiz, Spain
| | | | | | - Rocío Litrán
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, University of Cádiz, Puerto Real, Spain
| | - Enrique Aguado
- Department of Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Public Health, University of Cadiz and Institute of Biomedical Research Cádiz (INIBICA), Cadiz, Spain
| | - Wilhelm Bloch
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Sport Medicine, Institute of Cardiovascular Research and Sport Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Francisco García-Cozar
- Department of Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Public Health, University of Cadiz and Institute of Biomedical Research Cádiz (INIBICA), Cadiz, Spain
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3
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Viperin Targets Flavivirus Virulence by Inducing Assembly of Noninfectious Capsid Particles. J Virol 2017; 92:JVI.01751-17. [PMID: 29046456 PMCID: PMC5730767 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01751-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Efficient antiviral immunity requires interference with virus replication at multiple layers targeting diverse steps in the viral life cycle. We describe here a novel flavivirus inhibition mechanism that results in interferon-mediated obstruction of tick-borne encephalitis virus particle assembly and involves release of malfunctioning membrane-associated capsid (C) particles. This mechanism is controlled by the activity of the interferon-induced protein viperin, a broad-spectrum antiviral interferon-stimulated gene. Through analysis of the viperin-interactome, we identified the Golgi brefeldin A-resistant guanine nucleotide exchange factor 1 (GBF1) as the cellular protein targeted by viperin. Viperin-induced antiviral activity, as well as C-particle release, was stimulated by GBF1 inhibition and knockdown and reduced by elevated levels of GBF1. Our results suggest that viperin targets flavivirus virulence by inducing the secretion of unproductive noninfectious virus particles via a GBF1-dependent mechanism. This as-yet-undescribed antiviral mechanism allows potential therapeutic intervention. IMPORTANCE The interferon response can target viral infection on almost every level; however, very little is known about the interference of flavivirus assembly. We show here that interferon, through the action of viperin, can disturb the assembly of tick-borne encephalitis virus. The viperin protein is highly induced after viral infection and exhibit broad-spectrum antiviral activity. However, the mechanism of action is still elusive and appears to vary between the different viruses, indicating that cellular targets utilized by several viruses might be involved. In this study, we show that viperin induces capsid particle release by interacting and inhibiting the function of the cellular protein Golgi brefeldin A-resistant guanine nucleotide exchange factor 1 (GBF1). GBF1 is a key protein in the cellular secretory pathway and is essential in the life cycle of many viruses, also targeted by viperin, implicating GBF1 as a novel putative drug target.
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4
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Karamichali E, Serti E, Gianneli A, Papaefthymiou A, Kakkanas A, Foka P, Seremetakis A, Katsarou K, Trougakos IP, Georgopoulou U. The unexpected function of a highly conserved YXXΦ motif in HCV core protein. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2017; 54:251-262. [PMID: 28687362 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2017.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2017] [Revised: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 07/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an RNA positive strand virus, member of the Flaviviridae family. The HCV viral particle is composed of a capsid containing the genome, surrounded by an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-derived lipid bilayer where E1 and E2 are assembled as heterodimers. However, different forms of viral particles have been identified in the serum of HCV-infected patients, including non-enveloped particles. Previous reports have demonstrated that HCV non-enveloped capsid-like particles (HCVne) can be generated by HCV core protein sequence. This sequence possesses a highly conserved ΥΧΧΦ motif and distal di-leucine motifs that confer primary endocytosis signals, enabling HCVne to enter hepatic cells via clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Although HCV core's primary function is to encapsidate the viral genome, it also interacts with a variety of cellular proteins in order to regulate host cell functions such as gene transcription, lipid metabolism, apoptosis and several signaling pathways. In this report, we demonstrate that the YXXΦ motif of HCV core protein is crucial for the architectural integrity of the particulate form of HCVne. Moreover, we show that the YXXΦ motif in the HCV core sequence plays a pivotal role in the signaling events following HCVne clathrin-mediated endocytosis by inducing the AP-2 clathrin adaptor protein, which in turn redirect HCVne trafficking to the lipid droplets (LDs) via the endosomal-lysosomal pathway. HCVne and LDs co-localization affects the HCV life cycle by enhancing viral replication.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elisavet Serti
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Greece
| | | | | | | | - Pelagia Foka
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Greece
| | | | | | - Ioannis P Trougakos
- Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Athens 15784, Greece
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5
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Fernández-Ponce C, Dominguez-Villar M, Muñoz-Miranda JP, Arbulo-Echevarria MM, Litrán R, Aguado E, García-Cozar F. Immune modulation by the hepatitis C virus core protein. J Viral Hepat 2017; 24:350-356. [PMID: 28092420 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.12675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is currently the most important cause of chronic viral hepatitis in the world and one of the most frequent indications for liver transplantation. HCV uses different strategies to evade the innate and adaptive immune response, and this evasion plays a key role in determining viral persistence. Several HCV viral proteins have been described as immune modulators. In this review, we will focus on the effect of HCV nucleocapsid core protein in the function of immune cells and its correlation with the findings observed in HCV chronically infected patients. Effects on immune cell function related to both extracellular and intracellular HCV core localization will be considered. This review provides an updated perspective on the mechanisms involved in HCV evasion related to one single HCV protein, which could become a key tool in the development of new antiviral strategies able to control and/or eradicate HCV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Fernández-Ponce
- Department of Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Public Health (Immunology), University of Cadiz and Institute of Biomedical Research Cádiz (INIBICA), Cadiz, Spain
| | - M Dominguez-Villar
- Department of Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Public Health (Immunology), University of Cadiz and Institute of Biomedical Research Cádiz (INIBICA), Cadiz, Spain.,Department of Neurology, Human Translational Immunology Program, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George St. 353D, New Haven, 06520, CT
| | - J P Muñoz-Miranda
- Department of Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Public Health (Immunology), University of Cadiz and Institute of Biomedical Research Cádiz (INIBICA), Cadiz, Spain
| | - M M Arbulo-Echevarria
- Department of Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Public Health (Immunology), University of Cadiz and Institute of Biomedical Research Cádiz (INIBICA), Cadiz, Spain
| | - R Litrán
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, University of Cádiz, Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain
| | - E Aguado
- Department of Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Public Health (Immunology), University of Cadiz and Institute of Biomedical Research Cádiz (INIBICA), Cadiz, Spain
| | - F García-Cozar
- Department of Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Public Health (Immunology), University of Cadiz and Institute of Biomedical Research Cádiz (INIBICA), Cadiz, Spain
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6
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Zhai N, Chi X, Li T, Song H, Li H, Jin X, Crispe IN, Su L, Niu J, Tu Z. Hepatitis C virus core protein triggers expansion and activation of CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells in chronic hepatitis C patients. Cell Mol Immunol 2014; 12:743-9. [PMID: 25531392 DOI: 10.1038/cmi.2014.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2014] [Revised: 11/06/2014] [Accepted: 11/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
CD4(+)CD25(+)FoxP3(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) are increased in patients with chronic hepatitis C, which may contribute to the sustained suppression of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-specific T-cell responses and viral persistence in HCV-infected individuals. We postulated that HCV core protein (HCVc) directly contributes to the expansion of Tregs in HCV-infected patients, and we provide evidence to support this hypothesis in the report. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and sera were collected from 87 treatment-naïve chronic HCV-infected patients, CD4(+)CD25(+) Tregs were measured by flow cytometry, and HCV RNA and HCVc levels were detected using qPCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. CD4(+), CD8(+), CD4(+)CD25(+) and CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells were purified from healthy donors and cultured with recombinant HCVc and Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands. Flow cytometry was used to analyze cell proliferation, and ELISA was performed to measure cytokine production. In the 87 chronic HCV-infected patients, HCVc showed a significant correlation with HCV RNA and CD4(+)CD25(+) Tregs. Mechanistic studies showed that HCVc, together with anti-CD3 antibody, augmented CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg proliferation, but inhibited CD4(+)CD25(-) T-cell proliferation and IFN-γ production, in a dose-dependent and Treg-dependent manner. Moreover, unlike the TLR3 ligand (poly I:C) and the TLR4 ligand (lipopolysaccharide, LPS), the TLR2 ligand (lipoteichoic acid, LTA) and HCVc both inhibited TCR-induced CD4(+) T-cell proliferation and IFN-γ secretion in a Treg-dependent manner. These data indicate that HCVc, like other TLR2 ligands, triggers CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg activation and expansion to inhibit host immune responses, which may play a critical role in viral persistence in HCV-infected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naicui Zhai
- Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiumei Chi
- Department of Hepatology, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Tianyang Li
- Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Hongxiao Song
- Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Haijun Li
- Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xia Jin
- Institute Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Lishan Su
- Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Junqi Niu
- Department of Hepatology, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zhengkun Tu
- Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Department of Hepatology, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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7
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Fernandez-Ponce C, Dominguez-Villar M, Aguado E, Garcia-Cozar F. CD4+ primary T cells expressing HCV-core protein upregulate Foxp3 and IL-10, suppressing CD4 and CD8 T cells. PLoS One 2014; 9:e85191. [PMID: 24465502 PMCID: PMC3896374 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0085191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2012] [Accepted: 11/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Adaptive T cell responses are critical for controlling HCV infection. While there is clinical evidence of a relevant role for regulatory T cells in chronic HCV-infected patients, based on their increased number and function; mechanisms underlying such a phenomena are still poorly understood. Accumulating evidence suggests that proteins from Hepatitis C virus can suppress host immune responses. We and others have shown that HCV is present in CD4+ lymphocytes from chronically infected patients and that HCV-core protein induces a state of unresponsiveness in the CD4+ tumor cell line Jurkat. Here we show that CD4+ primary T cells lentivirally transduced with HCV-core, not only acquire an anergic phenotype but also inhibit IL-2 production and proliferation of bystander CD4+ or CD8+ T cells in response to anti-CD3 plus anti-CD28 stimulation. Core-transduced CD4+ T cells show a phenotype characterized by an increased basal secretion of the regulatory cytokine IL-10, a decreased IFN-γ production upon stimulation, as well as expression of regulatory T cell markers, CTLA-4, and Foxp3. A significant induction of CD4+CD25+CD127(low)PD-1(high)TIM-3(high) regulatory T cells with an exhausted phenotype was also observed. Moreover, CCR7 expression decreased in HCV-core expressing CD4+ T cells explaining their sequestration in inflamed tissues such as the infected liver. This work provides a new perspective on de novo generation of regulatory CD4+ T cells in the periphery, induced by the expression of a single viral protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Fernandez-Ponce
- Department of Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Public Health (Immunology), University of Cadiz and Puerto Real University Hospital Research Unit, School of Medicine, Cadiz, Spain
| | - Margarita Dominguez-Villar
- Department of Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Public Health (Immunology), University of Cadiz and Puerto Real University Hospital Research Unit, School of Medicine, Cadiz, Spain
| | - Enrique Aguado
- Department of Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Public Health (Immunology), University of Cadiz and Puerto Real University Hospital Research Unit, School of Medicine, Cadiz, Spain
| | - Francisco Garcia-Cozar
- Department of Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Public Health (Immunology), University of Cadiz and Puerto Real University Hospital Research Unit, School of Medicine, Cadiz, Spain
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