title: Upregulation of CXCR3 expression on CD8+ T cells due to the pervasive influence of chronic hepatitis B and C virus infection.
abstract: Chronic systemic 'latent' viral infections such as Cytomegalovirus infection (CMV) are known to leave a fingerprint in the total T-cell population. We investigated whether chronic infections with a 'persistent' viremia, such as chronic hepatitis B and C (CHB, CHC), characterized by local organ-specific inflammation, also impact the total peripheral T-cell population or other virus specific T-cells that do not target hepatitis viruses. No phenotypic or functional differences were found between CD8(+) T-cells or CMV- or Epstein-Barr virus specific T-cells in viral hepatitis and healthy controls (HC). However, expression of chemokine-receptor CXCR3 was significantly higher on total peripheral CD8(+) T-cells of CHB or CHC patients compared to HC (p<0.005) which may reflect the pervasive influence of a persistent viral infection, even when restricted to the liver. In CHB higher CXCR3 expression was associated with positive HBeAg-status and correlated with the percentage of HBsAg expressing hepatocytes found in liver biopsies, both pointing to a relation between CXCR3 expression and disease activity. In fact chemokine-receptors such as CXCR3 are important for T-cell recruitment to the liver and chemokine-ligands specific for CXCR3 are upregulated in chronic hepatitis. Modulating chemokine(receptor) expression could be a potential target for future therapy to optimize the anti-viral immunologic environment in the liver.
authors: Department of Experimental Immunology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. a.deniet@amc.nl
authors: A
authors: A
authors: de Niet
authors: J
authors: J
authors: de Bruijne
authors: M J Tempelmans
authors: MJ
authors: Plat-Sinnige
authors: R B
authors: RB
authors: Takkenberg
authors: R A W
authors: RA
authors: van Lier
authors: H W
authors: HW
authors: Reesink
authors: E M M
authors: EM
authors: van Leeuwen
mesh_terms: D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D010641:Phenotype; D054367:Receptors, CXCR3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D054367:Receptors, CXCR3