Are FoxP3(+) cells involved in hyporesponsiveness to interferon/ribavirin therapy in chronic hepatitis C?
We aimed to clarify the role of liver-infiltrating FoxP3(+) T cells for the response to therapy in chronic hepatitis C. Liver biopsies from 52 patients were collected prior to the start of interferon/ribavirin treatment, and the kinetics of viral decay during treatment were compared in patients with high and low infiltration of FoxP3(+) cells. These groups did not differ with respect to the effectiveness of early viral clearance or the frequency of sustained viral response. Our data imply that FoxP3(+) cell-mediated immunosuppression is not a major mechanism of hyporesponsiveness to interferon-based therapy in chronic hepatitis C.
Westin
J
J
Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. johan.westin@gu.se
Hellstrand
K
K
Dhillon
A P
AP
Lagging
M
M
D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001706:Biopsy; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007372:Interferons / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D012254:Ribavirin; D007372:Interferons