Different cytokine profiles of intraphepatic T cells in chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infections.
OBJECTIVE
The cytokine pattern secreted by T cells at the site of viral replication may influence the final outcome of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. The aim of this study was to assess whether a cytokine imbalance oriented toward T helper (Th) 1 or Th2-type responses may play a role in chronic hepatitis B or C.


METHODS
Production of interferon (IFN)-gamma, interleukin (IL)-4, and IL-5 by wide series of T-cell clones derived from the liver of 6 patients with chronic hepatitis B (291 clones) and 9 patients with chronic hepatitis C (260 clones) was studied. T-cell clones were generated by limiting dilution from freshly isolated mononuclear cells derived from liver tissue to give a reliable representation of the intrahepatic inflammatory infiltrates.


RESULTS
The majority of liver-infiltrating T cells in chronic hepatitis C were Th1 cells able to secrete IFN-gamma but unable to secrete IL-4 or IL-5, whereas in hepatitis B, most CD4+ and CD8+ liver T cells were ThO-like cells able to produce not only IFN-gamma but also IL-4 and IL-5.


CONCLUSIONS
The different cytokine profiles of T cells within the liver in chronic HBV and HCV infections illustrate a different behavior of the local immune response in these two infections that may have pathogenetic implications.
Bertoletti
A
A
Cattedra Malattie infective, Università di Pama, Italy.
D'Elios
M M
MM
Boni
C
C
De Carli
M
M
Zignego
A L
AL
Durazzo
M
M
Missale
G
G
Penna
A
A
Fiaccadori
F
F
Del Prete
G
G
Ferrari
C
C
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
D015415:Biomarkers; D007378:Interleukins; D007371:Interferon-gamma