Sahar Essa1, Raja'a Al-Attiyah2, Iqbal Siddique3,4, Widad Al-Nakib2. 1. Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, , Kuwait University, Safat, Kuwait, sahar.essa@ku.edu.kw. 2. Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, , Kuwait University, Safat, Kuwait. 3. Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Safat, Kuwait. 4. Thunayan Al-Ghanim Gastroenterology Center, Al-Amiri Hospital, Safat, Kuwait.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Resolution of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection requires a complicated interaction between immune cell subsets. The effect of antiviral therapy on immune cell subsets remains to be defined. This study aimed to investigate the absolute count of certain immune cell subsets during therapy with pegylated interferon-α and ribavirin (PegIFN/RBV). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty HCV genotype 4-infected patients with compensated liver disease were treated with PegIFN/RBV therapy for 52 weeks. Efficacy was measured by studying the early virological response (EVR) at post-therapy week 12. Absolute counts of mature T cells, T helper cells, T cytotoxic cells, activated T cells, natural killer cells, natural killer/T (NKT) cells, B cells, and T regulatory cells (Treg), and the ratio of T helper to T cytotoxic cells were longitudinally analyzed by flow cytometry throughout the treatment and follow-up course. RESULTS: Of the 60 genotype 4-infected subjects, 39 (65%) had EVR and 21 (35%) were non-EVR patients. In the first part of this study, there were significantly lower mean absolute count values of mature T, T cytotoxic, B, and NKT cells. Also, we detected statistically significantly lower mean values for the percentages of T cytotoxic, NKT, Treg, and activated T cells of HCV-infected patients at baseline values when compared with healthy subjects. After the initiation of PegIFN/RBV therapy, frequencies of T helper cells, activated T cells, Treg cells, B cells, and T helper:T cytotoxic ratio were found to be significantly lower in EVR patients than in non-EVR patients (p < 0.05). In contrast, frequencies of T cytotoxic and NKT cells were significantly increased in EVR patients when compared to non-EVR patients (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest a pattern of higher levels of T cytotoxic and NKT cells, and lower levels of T helper, activated T, Treg, and B cell populations in patients who respond favorably to PegIFN/RBV therapy.
BACKGROUND: Resolution of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection requires a complicated interaction between immune cell subsets. The effect of antiviral therapy on immune cell subsets remains to be defined. This study aimed to investigate the absolute count of certain immune cell subsets during therapy with pegylated interferon-α and ribavirin (PegIFN/RBV). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty HCV genotype 4-infectedpatients with compensated liver disease were treated with PegIFN/RBV therapy for 52 weeks. Efficacy was measured by studying the early virological response (EVR) at post-therapy week 12. Absolute counts of mature T cells, T helper cells, T cytotoxic cells, activated T cells, natural killer cells, natural killer/T (NKT) cells, B cells, and T regulatory cells (Treg), and the ratio of T helper to T cytotoxic cells were longitudinally analyzed by flow cytometry throughout the treatment and follow-up course. RESULTS: Of the 60 genotype 4-infected subjects, 39 (65%) had EVR and 21 (35%) were non-EVR patients. In the first part of this study, there were significantly lower mean absolute count values of mature T, T cytotoxic, B, and NKT cells. Also, we detected statistically significantly lower mean values for the percentages of T cytotoxic, NKT, Treg, and activated T cells of HCV-infectedpatients at baseline values when compared with healthy subjects. After the initiation of PegIFN/RBV therapy, frequencies of T helper cells, activated T cells, Treg cells, B cells, and T helper:T cytotoxic ratio were found to be significantly lower in EVR patients than in non-EVR patients (p < 0.05). In contrast, frequencies of T cytotoxic and NKT cells were significantly increased in EVR patients when compared to non-EVR patients (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest a pattern of higher levels of T cytotoxic and NKT cells, and lower levels of T helper, activated T, Treg, and B cell populations in patients who respond favorably to PegIFN/RBV therapy.
Authors: P Deltenre; V Canva; M El Nady; C François; S Castelain; S Dharancy; A Louvet; L Bocket; M Lazrek; A Hollebecque; F Wartel; J Henrion; G Duverlie; P Mathurin Journal: J Viral Hepat Date: 2009-05-08 Impact factor: 3.728
Authors: Hans Christian Spangenberg; Sergei Viazov; Nadine Kersting; Christoph Neumann-Haefelin; Denise McKinney; Michael Roggendorf; Fritz von Weizsäcker; Hubert E Blum; Robert Thimme Journal: Hepatology Date: 2005-10 Impact factor: 17.425
Authors: Sebastian Lunemann; David F G Malone; Julia Hengst; Kerstin Port; Jan Grabowski; Katja Deterding; Antoaneta Markova; Birgit Bremer; Verena Schlaphoff; Markus Cornberg; Michael P Manns; Johan K Sandberg; Hans-Gustaf Ljunggren; Niklas K Björkström; Heiner Wedemeyer Journal: J Infect Dis Date: 2013-10-23 Impact factor: 5.226
Authors: Chihiro Morishima; Denise M Paschal; Chia C Wang; Christina S Yoshihara; Brent L Wood; Anthony E T Yeo; Scott S Emerson; Margaret C Shuhart; David R Gretch Journal: Hepatology Date: 2006-03 Impact factor: 17.425