Kimball P, Verbeke S, Shiffman M. Proliferative suppression and class I insufficiency on peripheral blood cells from hepatitis C patients overcome by exogenous cytokines or high-dose mitogen.
Clin Immunol 2002;
103:317-23. [PMID:
12173307 DOI:
10.1006/clim.2002.5217]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
An abnormal T cell response to HCV viral infection is speculated to cause viral persistence, although the mechanism(s) is not understood. Using a classical in vitro test of T cell vigor, proliferative responses to PHA were determined in PBLs from 92 HCV+ individuals and 35 healthy noninfected controls. In addition, since HLA antigens modulate proliferation, surface HLA content was measured by quantitative flow cytometry. The proliferative response of cells from HCV+ individuals was lower than that of controls (SI of 91 +/- 70 vs 219 +/- 70, P < .0001). In addition, class I content was underexpressed on cells from HCV+ individuals (4540 +/- 1359 vs 13,180 +/- 5511 MESF units, P < .0001) after 5 days of PHA stimulation. Class II content was also lower than that of controls (89 +/- 17 vs 124 +/- 61 MESF units, P < .0001) after PHA stimulation. Treatment of cells from HCV+ individuals with a high dose of PHA corrected proliferative hyporesponsiveness (P < 0.01) and class I and II insufficiency (P = 0.02). Treatment with exogenous IL-2 or IFN-gamma corrected proliferative reduction (P < 0.01) but not HLA antigen content (P = ns). The results show a biochemical and functional abnormality in PBLs from HCV+ individuals, which may contribute to HCV chronicity.
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