Antigen-induced regulatory T cells in HBV chronically infected patients.
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.
Barboza
Luisa
L
Institute of Clinical Immunology, University of Los Andes, Avenida 16 de Septiembre, Edificio Louis Pasteur, Anexo HULA, PO BOX 566, Mérida 5101, Venezuela.
Salmen
Siham
S
Goncalves
Loredana
L
Colmenares
Melisa
M
Peterson
Darrell
D
Montes
Henry
H
Cartagirone
Raimondo
R
Gutiérrez
Maria del Carmen
Mdel C
Berrueta
Lisbeth
L
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
C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D016753:Interleukin-10