Peripheral-blood mononuclear cell responses to recombinant hepatitis C virus antigens in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
Peripheral blood mononuclear cell proliferative responses in vitro to recombinant yeast or Escherichia coli hepatitis C virus fusion proteins were evaluated in 20 patients with chronic hepatitis C who were reactive for antibody to hepatitis C virus (on enzyme immunoassay, version 2.0, and a four-antigen recombinant immunoblot assay). Twenty age-matched, healthy individuals negative for antibody to hepatitis C virus were used as a control group. Peripheral-blood mononuclear cells from all chronic hepatitis C patients with antibodies to hepatitis C virus antigens c22 and c100-3 proliferated in vitro in response to the corresponding recombinant hepatitis C virus fusion protein. Peripheral-blood mononuclear cells from 75% of patients infected with hepatitis C virus proliferated in response to cytidine monophosphate-keto-3-deoxyoctulosonic acid-core recombinant antigen but there was no proliferative response to cytidine monophosphate-keto-3-deoxyoctulosonic acid-EF (derived from the NS5 region). All hepatitis C virus-infected patients had 33c antibody, but peripheral-blood mononuclear cells from only 9 of 14 (64%) proliferated in vitro in response to 33c. Ninety-five percent of all hepatitis C virus-infected patients had peripheral-blood mononuclear cells that proliferated in response to at least one recombinant hepatitis C virus fusion protein. The numbers and percentages of CD3 T cells, CD19 B cells and natural killer cells from patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection did not differ from those in the healthy control group. However, the number of non-major histocompatibility complex-restricted cytotoxic T cells (CD3-positive, CD56-positive, CD16-positive) was increased in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection (p < 0.05).
Schupper
H
H
University of California, Davis, Medical Center, Sacramento 95817.
Hayashi
P
P
Scheffel
J
J
Aceituno
S
S
Paglieroni
T
T
Holland
P V
PV
Zeldis
J B
JB
D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000032:analysis; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000276:immunology
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000956:Antigens, Viral; C064544:C100 protein, hepatitis C virus; D017252:CD3 Complex; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; C499352:core protein p22, Hepatitis C virus; C069130:nucleocapsid protein, Hepatitis C virus