title: Determination of HCV-specific T-cell activity.
abstract: The magnitude and breadth of T-cell responses against HCV are associated with the outcome of HCV infection. Parameters of HCV-specific T-cell responses that are frequently assessed in clinical immunological studies include proliferation of T cells in response to HCV antigens, frequency of HCV-specific T cells secreting cytokines, and changes in antigen specificity during the course of HCV infection. Common techniques for assessing these parameters such as (3)H-thymidine incorporation assay, cytokine ELISpot assay, and strategies for epitope mapping and identification of minimal optimal epitopes are outlined, and detailed protocols are described.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Section, Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Joo Chun
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rehermann
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013936:Thymidine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D014316:Tritium / Q000737:chemistry; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D010455:Peptides; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; D014316:Tritium; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D013936:Thymidine