HCV viraemia associates with NK cell activation and dysfunction in antiretroviral therapy-treated HIV/HCV-co-infected subjects.

The impact of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA levels on immune status in chronically HCV mono-infected when compared to HIV/HCV co-infected on antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains poorly understood. A total of 78 African American subjects HCV viraemic/naïve to HCV treatment (33 HCV genotype 1 mono-infected, 45 ART-treated HIV/HCV genotype 1 co-infected) were studied. Clinical and liver enzyme measurements were performed. Whole blood was analysed for immune subset changes by flow cytometry. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were used for same-day constitutive and in vitro Interferon (IFN)-α-induced signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) phosphorylation, K562 target cell lysis and K562 target cell recognition-mediated IFN-γ production. Statistical analysis was performed using R (2.5.1) or JMP Pro 11. While both groups did not differ in the level of liver enzymes, HIV/HCV had higher T-cell activation/exhaustion, and constitutive STAT-1 phosphorylation compared to HCV. In contrast, CD4+ FoxP3+ CD25+ frequency, IFN-αR expression on NK cells, as well as constitutive and IFN-α-induced direct cytotoxicity were lower in HIV/HCV. Linear regression models further supported these results. Finally, increase in HCV viral load and CD4+ T-cell count had an opposite effect between the two groups on NK cell activity and T-cell activation, respectively. HCV viral load in ART-treated HIV/HCV co-infection was associated with greater immune activation/exhaustion and NK dysfunction than HCV viral load alone in HCV mono-infection. The more pronounced immune modulation noted in ART-treated HIV-co-infected/untreated HCV viraemic subjects may impact HCV disease progression and/or response to immunotherapy.