Measurements of HCV neutralizing antibodies and of HCV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ cells using hepatitis C virus pseudo-particles (HCVpp).
BACKGROUND
For the medical management, it would be of great relevance to get a diagnostic marker predicting the outcome of infection.


OBJECTIVE
For this purpose, the envelope antigens of the individual HCV strain in a patient was tested for their capacity to induce neutralizing antibodies and cytotoxic T lymphocytes.


METHODS
A system for the measurement of neutralizing antibodies as well as for the stimulation of a HCV-specific T-cell response using pseudo-typed HCV particles (HCVpp) was established. A report on results of a pilot study conducted with blood specimens of 19 chronically infected patients is also presented.


RESULTS
Neutralization of HCVpp could be measured in nearly all HCV sero-positive patient samples. Nevertheless, in more than half of the patient samples (11/19), no HCV-specific CD4+ response was detectable. In addition, HCV-specific CD8+ response was measurable in most of the patients when HCVpp were used for T-cell stimulation. Although the same antigens (HCVpp) were used, there was no relevant correlation between neutralization titers and T-cell response.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study shows that HCVpp are appropriate antigens for specific stimulation of lymphocytes as well as for the investigation of antibody neutralization activity.
Berger
Annemarie
A
Institut für Medizinische Virologie, Klinikum der J. W. Goethe-Universität, Paul Ehrlich-Str. 40, D-60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Annemarie.Berger@em.uni-frankfurt.de <Annemarie.Berger@em.uni-frankfurt.de>
Giroglou
Tsanan
T
Leutz
Anke
A
Ogbomo
Henry
H
Pfaff
Kerstin
K
Teuber
Gerlinde
G
Cinatl
Jindrich
J
van Laer
Dorothee
D
Doerr
Hans Wilhelm
HW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D014771:Virion / Q000276:immunology
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies