Association of hepatitis C virus-specific CD8+ T cells with viral clearance in acute hepatitis C.
CD8+ T lymphocytes play a major role in antiviral immune defense. Their significance for acute hepatitis C is unclear. Our aim was to correlate the CD8+ T cell response with the outcome of infection. Eighteen patients with acute hepatitis C and 19 normal donors were studied. Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-specific CD8+ T cells were identified in the enzyme-linked immunospot assay by their interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production after specific stimulation. The highest numbers of IFN-gamma-producing HCV-specific CD8+ T cells were found in patients with acute hepatitis C and a self-limited course of disease during the first 6 months after onset of disease, but these numbers dropped thereafter to undetectable levels. The differences in responsiveness between patients with self-limited disease versus patients with a chronic course were statistically significant (P<.001). Our data show that the number of IFN-gamma-producing HCV-specific CD8+ T cells during the first 6 months after onset of disease is associated with eradication of the HCV infection.
Grüner
N H
NH
Institute for Immunology, D-80336 Munich, Germany. Pape@ifi.med. uni-muenchen.de.
Gerlach
T J
TJ
Jung
M C
MC
Diepolder
H M
HM
Schirren
C A
CA
Schraut
W W
WW
Hoffmann
R
R
Zachoval
R
R
Santantonio
T
T
Cucchiarini
M
M
Cerny
A
A
Pape
G R
GR
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012016:Reference Values; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis
D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D014764:Viral Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma