Peripheral lymphocyte subsets vary with stage of hepatitis C virus-associated liver disease.
OBJECTIVE
Hepatitis C virus induces various clinical features in a host depending on duration of the viral infection.


METHODS
We investigated peripheral lymphocyte subsets in patients with three different stages of hepatitis C virus infection: 5 patients with acute hepatitis, 10 with chronic hepatitis unassociated with cirrhosis, and 10 with cirrhosis. Peripheral lymphocytes were double-stained with multiple fluorescent antibody combinations: anti-CD3 plus anti-gammasigmaT cell receptor; anti-CD19 plus anti-CD5; anti-CD4 plus anti-CD45RA; or anti-CD8 plus anti-CD11b. Triple staining was performed with fluorescent antibodies against CD4, interferon gamma, and interleukin-4. Both staining protocols were followed by flow cytometric analysis.


RESULTS
Acute hepatitis patients had a high proportion of CD3+ T cells with increased CD4+CD45RA-T helper and CD8+CD11b- cytotoxic T cells. Compared to this group, chronic hepatitis patients showed a decrease in CD4+ cells and an increase in CD19+ B cells and interleukin-4-producing Th2 cells. Cirrhotic patients showed decreased circulating lymphocytes and a low proportion of CD8+ cells accompanied by a decrease in cytotoxic T cells. Furthermore, their lymphocyte profiles showed decreases in primordial lymphocyte subpopulations (T cells with gammasigmaT cell receptors and B cells with CD5).


CONCLUSIONS
Although the same pathogenic agent was involved, immune dynamics differed greatly according to duration of viral infection.
Morita
Kiyoshi
K
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
Fukuda
Yoshihide
Y
Nakano
Isao
I
Katano
Yoshiaki
Y
Hayakawa
Tetsuo
T
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015996:Survival Rate
D015415:Biomarkers