title: CD4+/CD25+ T cells suppress autologous CD4+/CD25- lymphocytes and secrete granzyme B during acute and chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: We aimed to verify whether CD4(+)/CD25(+) T cells suppress CD4(+) T cells and secrete Granzyme B (GZB) during acute and chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection. We enrolled 50 subjects: 20 patients with CHC (Group A), 15 healthy individuals (Group B), 10 patients with acute hepatitis C later evolved to persistent infection (Group C) and five patients who resolved hepatitis C virus infection during acute phase (Group D). We analysed, on enrolled subjects CD4(+)/CD25(+) T cells and related GZB production as well as Annexin V activity. Patients from Groups A and C had higher frequency and function of peripheral Treg cells than healthy individuals. Groups A and C showed an increase in spot-forming colonies (SFCs) of GZB compared with Group B (P < 0.01, Mann-Whitney U-test). CD4(+)/CD25(+) T cells in Group D had a lower number of GZB SFCs compared with Groups A and C but higher number than Group B (P < 0.01 Mann-Whitney U-test). Annexin V production was higher in Groups A and C than B or D. Patients having acute and chronic hepatitis C have a higher Treg frequency and function in peripheral blood than healthy controls or those resolving the infection in acute phase secreting GZB, probably inducing apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: VII Department of Infectious Disease and Immunology, Hospital D. Cotugno, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perrella
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Antonio
authors.forename: Costanza
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sbreglia
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sorrentino
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Conca
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Atripaldi
authors.forename: Pio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: Oreste
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Perrella
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017304:Annexin A5 / Q000032:analysis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D053804:Granzymes / Q000378:metabolism*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D017304:Annexin A5; C508017:IL2RA protein, human; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D053804:Granzymes
keywords: CD4+ CD25+; granzyme B; hepatitis C; hepatitis C virus