title: CD3- and CD28-activating pathways in HCV infection.
abstract: We investigated the proliferative response and IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) activated with anti-CD3 mAb alone or in combination with anti-CD28 mAb in a group of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients with detectable viremia demonstrated by "nested" PCR. PBMC from HCV patients and controls showed similar proliferative responses either to anti-CD3 mAb, 64.1, and/or to anti-CD28 mAb, 9.3. No differences were found in anti-CD3 or anti-CD3 plus anti-CD28-induced proliferative responses between patients who demonstrated circulating PBMC bearing HCV-RNA when compared to those with negative HCV-RNA PBMC. Moreover, flow cytometry studies confirmed that anti-CD3 alone or in combination with anti-CD28 were able to induce a significant increase of IL-2R expression in patients or controls PBMC. Both groups showed similar basal CD28 expression. These results indicate that both CD3- and CD28-activating pathways are preserved in HCV-infected patients with chronic active liver disease.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Inmunologia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Sabana Grande, Caracas.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Corado
authors.forename: F I
authors.initials: FI
authors.lastname: Toro
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Baroja
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.forename: I V
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Machado
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology*; D018106:CD28 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D018106:CD28 Antigens; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2