title: Different cytokine profiles of intraphepatic T cells in chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infections.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra Malattie infective, Università di Pama, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bertoletti
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: D'Elios
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Carli
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Zignego
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Durazzo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Missale
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Penna
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fiaccadori
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Del Prete
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferrari
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007378:Interleukins; D007371:Interferon-gamma