CD56(+dim) and CD56(+bright) cell activation and apoptosis in hepatitis C virus infection.
CD3- CD56(+dim) natural killer (NK) cells, which are cytotoxic against virally infected cells, may be important in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients who are successfully treated with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN)-alpha. We used flow cytometry to enumerate activated (CD69+) and apoptotic (annexin-V+) dim (CD3- CD56(+dim)) and bright (CD3- CD56(+bright)) NK cells obtained from HCV-infected patients before treatment (n=16) and healthy controls (n=15) in the absence and presence of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN)-alpha-2b. A subset of HCV-infected patients, subsequently treated with PEG-IFN-alpha-2b in vivo, was determined to have a sustained virological response (SVR, n=6) or to not respond (NR) to treatment (n=5). In the absence of IFN, activated dim (CD3- CD56(+dim) CD69+) NK cells were significantly decreased (P=0.04) while activated apoptotic dim (CD3- CD56(+dim)CD69+ annexin-V+) NK cells tended to be increased (P=0.07) in SVR patients compared with NR patients. Activated bright (CD3-CD56(+bright)CD69+) and activated apoptotic bright (CD3- CD56(+bright)CD69+ annexin-V+) NK cells were significantly correlated (P=0.02 and P=0.01, respectively) with increasing hepatic inflammation. These findings suggest that in the absence of PEG-IFN, activated dim (CD3- CD56(+dim)CD69+) NK cell turnover may be enhanced in SVR compared with NR patients and that activated bright (CD3- CD56(+bright)CD69+) NK cells may play a role in liver inflammation.
Center for the Study of Hepatitis C, Department of Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York 10021, USA.
A W
AW
Lin
S A
SA
Gonzalez
S
S
Cunningham-Rundles
G
G
Dorante
S
S
Marshall
A
A
Tignor
C
C
Ha
I M
IM
Jacobson
A H
AH
Talal
D000328:Adult; D017304:Annexin A5 / Q000378:metabolism; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000097:blood; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015854:Up-Regulation
D017304:Annexin A5; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D017252:CD3 Complex; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a