title: F protein increases CD4+CD25+ T cell population in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: HCV is a global health problem with an estimated 230 million chronically infected people worldwide. It has been reported that a 17-kd protein translated from core-encoding genomic region can contribute to immune-mediated mechanisms associated with the development of the chronic disease. Also, Treg cells can be contributed to an inadequate response against the viruses, leading to chronic infection. Here we evaluated the ability of protein F to modulate the frequency of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+T and IL-10+T cells in patients with chronic HCV infection. F gene was amplified and cloned in the expression vector. The protein was purified and used for stimulation of PBMCs in the HCV chronic patients and the control groups. The frequency of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ T cell-like populations and IL-10-producing CD4+CD25+ T cells was assessed in the HCV-infected patients and in the healthy controls by flow cytometry, which showed an increase of both CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ T cell-like population and IL-10-producing CD4+CD25+ T cells in the HCV-infected patients positive for anti-F antibody. Our results suggest the potential involvement of F and core antigens in increasing the frequency of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ T cell-like population and IL-10-producing CD4+CD25+ T cells which may be associated with HCV-persistent infection.
authors: Department of Virology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, 14115-331 Tehran, Iran Digestive Disease Research Center, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 14117 Tehran, Iran.
authors: Tayebeh
authors: T
authors: Hashempour
authors: Department of Virology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, 14115-331 Tehran, Iran bamdad_t@modares.ac.ir.
authors: Taravat
authors: T
authors: Bamdad
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1,00133 Rome, Italy.
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Bergamini
authors: Laboratoire de Bioinformatique et RMN structurales, Institut de Biologie et chimie des protéines, UMR 5086 CNRS, Université Claude Bernard Lyon I.
authors: Jean Pierre
authors: JP
authors: Lavergne
authors: Digestive Disease Research Center, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 14117 Tehran, Iran.
authors: Arghavan
authors: A
authors: Haj-Sheykholeslami
authors: Département de Biochimie et Médecine Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Roger-Gaudry, bureau E-519, C.P. 6128, Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec.
authors: Léa
authors: L
authors: Brakier-Gingras
authors: Digestive Disease Research Center, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 14117 Tehran, Iran.
authors: Mehdi
authors: M
authors: Ajorloo
authors: Digestive Disease Research Center, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 14117 Tehran, Iran.
authors: Shahin
authors: S
authors: Merat
mesh_terms: D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000032:analysis*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; C508017:IL2RA protein, human; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; C433031:hepatitis C protein F, Hepatitis C virus; D016753:Interleukin-10
keywords: F protein; chronic phase; core protein; hepatitis C virus; regulatory T cells