title: Antigen-induced regulatory T cells in HBV chronically infected patients.
abstract: T cell response against HBV is vigorous in patients with acute hepatitis who clear the virus, whereas it is weak and narrowly focused in patients with chronic disease. We report that following incubation with HBcAg, a population of CD4+FoxP3+ cells expressing phenotypic markers of both natural and induced Tregs, can be antigen-induced from peripheral mononuclear cells. Conversely, naive and naturally immune subjects did not increase CD4+FoxP3+ Tregs following stimulation with HBcAg, supporting the idea that natural Tregs are able to respond specifically to HBV antigen. Furthermore, increased frequencies of antigen-induced CD4+FoxP3+IL-10+ Tregs correlated with viral load, suggesting that antigen-induced Tregs could contribute to an inadequate response against the virus, leading to chronic infection and support the view that specific natural Tregs may be implicated in host immune tolerance during HBV infection.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Immunology, University of Los Andes, Avenida 16 de Septiembre, Edificio Louis Pasteur, Anexo HULA, PO BOX 566, Mérida 5101, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barboza
authors.forename: Siham
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salmen
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goncalves
authors.forename: Melisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Colmenares
authors.forename: Darrell
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Montes
authors.forename: Raimondo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cartagirone
authors.forename: Maria del Carmen
authors.initials: Mdel C
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez
authors.forename: Lisbeth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berrueta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D016753:Interleukin-10