title: Bystander activation by cytokines of intrahepatic T cells in chronic viral hepatitis.
abstract: Although immune responses to hepatitis viruses are initiated by virus-specific T cells, there is evidence that many more intrahepatic T cells are activated than those specific for the pathogen. Recent evidence suggests that cytokine combinations, such as IL-2, IL-6, and TNF alpha, can activate both naive and memory T cells in vitro. The inflammatory cytokine milieu in the liver of patients with chronic viral hepatitis may therefore favor bystander activation of T cells. This may play an important role in enhancing effector T-cell function in the liver, and in maintaining peripheral memory T cells in the absence of antigenic stimulation, such as after virus clearance.
authors.affiliation: IRIS, Research Centre of Chiron Vaccines, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abrignani
mesh_terms: D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000502:physiology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha