title: CD8+/CD38+: immune activity and clinical significance in HCV patients with and without interferon therapy.
abstract: At the light of the importance of cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response during chronic hepatitis C, we carried out a study in order to evaluate the CD8+/CD38+T-cells, immunophenotypic marker of CD8+ activated cells in a selected cohort of 22 patients for four months. The patients were subdivided in two groups: A (with IFN therapy), B (without IFN therapy). The results show that in IFN-treated subjects there is a significant reduction of ALT (sign test, z = .424;p < or = .05) and that the CD8+/CD38+ present a positive correlation with HCV-RNA (r = .894; p < .05). We hypothesize that during IFN therapy the CD8+/CD38+ activity is able to oppose HCV, probably by increasing MHC I expression on the infected cells due to the IFN modulatory action, that could strengthen the immune response of CD8+ activated T-lymphocytes. These events confer the capacity to specifically respond to any viral replication and probably take part in the reduction of ALT levels by decreasing the chronic inflammation present during a defective immune response. These data show think CD8+/CD38+ marker could be a good parameter to evaluate both the viral activity and immunological status in HCV+ patients undergoing IFN treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Federico II University Medical School, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perrella
authors.lastname: Perrella
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Conca
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tarantino
mesh_terms: D036541:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000276:immunology*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009244:NAD+ Nucleosidase / Q000276:immunology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D036541:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase; C498154:CD38 protein, human; D009244:NAD+ Nucleosidase; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1