BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatitis C virus induces various clinical features in a host depending on duration of the viral infection. METHODOLOGY: We investigated peripheral lymphocyte subsets in patients with three different stages of hepatitis C virus infection: 5 patients with acute hepatitis, 10 with chronic hepatitis unassociated with cirrhosis, and 10 with cirrhosis. Peripheral lymphocytes were double-stained with multiple fluorescent antibody combinations: anti-CD3 plus anti-gammasigmaT cell receptor; anti-CD19 plus anti-CD5; anti-CD4 plus anti-CD45RA; or anti-CD8 plus anti-CD11b. Triple staining was performed with fluorescent antibodies against CD4, interferon gamma, and interleukin-4. Both staining protocols were followed by flow cytometric analysis. RESULTS: Acute hepatitis patients had a high proportion of CD3+ T cells with increased CD4+CD45RA-T helper and CD8+CD11b- cytotoxic T cells. Compared to this group, chronic hepatitis patients showed a decrease in CD4+ cells and an increase in CD19+ B cells and interleukin-4-producing Th2 cells. Cirrhotic patients showed decreased circulating lymphocytes and a low proportion of CD8+ cells accompanied by a decrease in cytotoxic T cells. Furthermore, their lymphocyte profiles showed decreases in primordial lymphocyte subpopulations (T cells with gammasigmaT cell receptors and B cells with CD5). CONCLUSIONS: Although the same pathogenic agent was involved, immune dynamics differed greatly according to duration of viral infection.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatitis C virus induces various clinical features in a host depending on duration of the viral infection. METHODOLOGY: We investigated peripheral lymphocyte subsets in patients with three different stages of hepatitis C virus infection: 5 patients with acute hepatitis, 10 with chronic hepatitis unassociated with cirrhosis, and 10 with cirrhosis. Peripheral lymphocytes were double-stained with multiple fluorescent antibody combinations: anti-CD3 plus anti-gammasigmaT cell receptor; anti-CD19 plus anti-CD5; anti-CD4 plus anti-CD45RA; or anti-CD8 plus anti-CD11b. Triple staining was performed with fluorescent antibodies against CD4, interferon gamma, and interleukin-4. Both staining protocols were followed by flow cytometric analysis. RESULTS:Acute hepatitispatients had a high proportion of CD3+ T cells with increased CD4+CD45RA-T helper and CD8+CD11b- cytotoxic T cells. Compared to this group, chronic hepatitispatients showed a decrease in CD4+ cells and an increase in CD19+ B cells and interleukin-4-producing Th2 cells. Cirrhotic patients showed decreased circulating lymphocytes and a low proportion of CD8+ cells accompanied by a decrease in cytotoxic T cells. Furthermore, their lymphocyte profiles showed decreases in primordial lymphocyte subpopulations (T cells with gammasigmaT cell receptors and B cells with CD5). CONCLUSIONS: Although the same pathogenic agent was involved, immune dynamics differed greatly according to duration of viral infection.
Authors: Kumar Jayant; Isabella Reccia; Francesco Virdis; Jordan S Pyda; Piotr J Bachul; Diego di Sabato; Rolf N Barth; John Fung; Talia Baker; Piotr Witkowski Journal: Clin Transplant Date: 2021-02-25 Impact factor: 3.456