title: Phenotypic features of innate and adaptive immunity in patients with chronic hepatitis C and end-stage renal disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The knowledge of the immunological profile of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on haemodialysis (HD) is still limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated the immune response profile in HCV patients with concomitant ESRD focusing on the influence of the renal disease on the phenotypic profile of peripheral blood lymphocytes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunophenotypic features of peripheral blood leucocytes were assessed by flow cytometry in two distinct groups: HCV patients with ESRD (CHC+ESRD, n = 16) and HCV patients with normal renal function (CHC, n = 20). Two control groups that were included were as follows: HCV negative blood donors (BD, n = 15) and HCV negative patients with ESRD (ESRD, n = 19).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher frequency of macrophage-like and pro-inflammatory monocytes along with enhanced frequency of CD3(-) CD16(-) CD56(+) , mainly CD56(dim) NK-cells, were the hallmark of CHC+ESRD patients. Lower frequency of B cells with significant decreased of B1 and CD23(+) B-cells were associated with ESRD, regardless the HCV infection. Although higher rates of activated CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells were observed in the CHC and CHC+ESRD groups, the chemotaxis of T-cell subsets, based on their chemokine receptor expression, was affected by ESRD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic hepatitis C patients with ESRD on HD exhibit distinctive phenotypic profile of circulating leucocytes. It may be implicated in the natural history of HCV infection in this particular group of patients and warrants further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Gastroenterologia, Hospital Universitário - Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Kátia V B D
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Barbosa
authors.forename: Rosângela
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bassetti-Soares
authors.forename: Aécio F Meirelles
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: João Milton M O
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Penido
authors.forename: Andréa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Teixeira-Carvalho
authors.forename: Olindo A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Martins-Filho
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology*; D016130:Immunophenotyping / Q000379:methods; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis
keywords: chronic hepatitis C; end-stage renal disease; flow cytometry; immune response