title: Cellular activation and intracellular HCV load in peripheral blood monocytes isolated from HCV monoinfected and HIV-HCV coinfected patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During HCV infection, the activation status of peripheral blood monocytes and its impact on HCV replication are poorly understood. We hypothesized that a modified activation of peripheral blood monocytes in HIV-HCV coinfected compared to HCV monoinfected patients may contribute to different monocytes reservoirs of HCV replication.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a case-control analysis involving HCV-infected patients with and without HIV coinfection. In peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and peripheral blood monocytes isolated from HCV monoinfected and HIV-HCV coinfected patients, intracellular HCV load and a marker of cellular activation, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) activation, were quantified using intracellular detection of HCV-core protein and electrophoretic mobility shift assay, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intracellular HCV loads were higher in monocytes isolated from HIV-HCV coinfected patients than in those of monoinfected patients. Among PBMCs isolated from HIV-HCV coinfected patients, intracellular HCV loads were higher in monocytes compared to PBLs. Cellular activation as measured by NF-κB activation was higher in monocytes isolated from HIV-HCV coinfected patients than in those of monoinfected patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results reveal the peripheral blood monocytes as an important extrahepatic reservoir for HCV in HIV-HCV coinfected patients and indicate a potential association between the activation state of monocytes and the size of the HCV reservoir in HIV-HCV coinfected patients.
authors.affiliation: Pathogens and Inflammation Department, UPRES EA4266, SFR FED 4234, University of Franche-Comté, Besancon, France; Department of Virology, CHRU Besançon, Besançon, France.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dichamp
authors.affiliation: Pathogens and Inflammation Department, UPRES EA4266, SFR FED 4234, University of Franche-Comté, Besancon, France; Department of Virology, CHRU Besançon, Besançon, France.
authors.forename: Wasim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Abbas
authors.affiliation: Pathogens and Inflammation Department, UPRES EA4266, SFR FED 4234, University of Franche-Comté, Besancon, France; Department of Virology, CHRU Besançon, Besançon, France.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Pathogens and Inflammation Department, UPRES EA4266, SFR FED 4234, University of Franche-Comté, Besancon, France; Department of Hepatology, CHRU Besançon, Besançon, France.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Martino
authors.affiliation: Pathogens and Inflammation Department, UPRES EA4266, SFR FED 4234, University of Franche-Comté, Besancon, France; Department of Virology, CHRU Besançon, Besançon, France.
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Herbein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D060085:Coinfection; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000502:physiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D016328:NF-kappa B