title: Characteristics of the cellular immune response in HIV/HCV patients with hemophilia during peginterferon/ribavirin therapy in southern China.
abstract: The objectives of the study are to characterize the cellular immune response in hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 and HIV co-infected patients with hemophilia in southern China during treatment with interferon and ribavirin and to study its correlation with the virologic response (VR). Thirty-six HCV genotype 1 and HIV co-infected patients with hemophilia in southern China were enrolled into the study. Using an ELISpot assay, HCV antigen-specific interferon (IFN) γ, interleukin (IL) 2, IL-4, and IL-10 secreting cells were measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Single nucleotide polymorphisms of IL28B were determined, and immunological, virologic, and clinical variables were collected to identify factors associated with HCV-sustained VR (SVR) at week 72 after treatment. At baseline, there were no significant differences in IFN-γ and IL-2 mediated immune responses in subjects with VR versus non-responders. Higher IL-10 specific responses to NS3 were observed in VR patients. Subjects who had significant decreases in IL-10 responses at week 72 compared with baseline for NS3 and NS5 were more likely to be VR. In SVR, IL-2 production decreased moderately, and the levels of IL-4 were low throughout. The main correlation for SVR in genotype-l infected subjects was sustained HCV-specific IFN-γ responses through the whole 72-week period. In subjects with HIV and HCV co-infection combined with hemophilia, IL28B genotype CC, a decrease in HCV specific IL-l0 and IL-2 responses, and the maintenance of IFN-γ responses during treatment were associated with a 12- or 72-week VR.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Zhabei District Central Hospital, 200070, China. Electronic address: ham69@sina.com.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yingying
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai 201508, China.
authors.forename: Wang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jiangrong
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai 201508, China.
authors.forename: Liao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jing
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002681:China; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D058501:Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000150:complications*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult; D000095022:Interferon Lambda
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins; D012254:Ribavirin; C000624353:interferon-lambda, human; D000095022:Interferon Lambda
keywords: Cellular immune response; HCV/HIV co-infection; Hemophilia; Interferon; Ribavirin