title: Decrease in regulatory T-cell function in chronic hepatitis C patients receiving pegylated-interferon plus ribavirin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Regulatory T-cells (Tregs) play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection. Pegylated interferon is the standard therapy for CHC patients in Asian countries. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency and function of Tregs in CHC patients receiving combination therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  CHC patients (n=30) who had elevated alanine aminotransferase and underwent combination therapy were included. Clinical data and Treg function were checked at baseline, 12 weeks after treatment, at the end of treatment, and at the end of 24 weeks of follow-up. Treg immunosuppressive activity was measured as the inhibition ratio of conventional T-cell proliferation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treg-mediated immunosuppression was significantly lower during therapy than at baseline (baseline 44.45%; 12 weeks 18.41% (p=0.042); end of treatment 22.62% (p=0.036); end of follow-up 17.46% (p=0.003)). Treg-mediated immunosuppression was higher in patients with a sustained virological response (SVR) than in those without SVR at the end of follow-up (SVR 24.20%, non-SVR 6.87%; p=0.030).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treg-mediated immunosuppression was lower during and after combination therapy, regardless of the treatment response, and higher in patients with SVR than in those without SVR at the end of follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Chia-Yi, Taiwan; School of Medicine, Tzuchi University, Hualien, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kuo-Chih
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science and Institute of Molecular Biology, National Chung Cheng University, No. 168, University Rd, Min-Hsiung, Chia-Yi, 62102, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yun-Che
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Chia-Yi, Taiwan; School of Medicine, Tzuchi University, Hualien, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chi-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science and Institute of Molecular Biology, National Chung Cheng University, No. 168, University Rd, Min-Hsiung, Chia-Yi, 62102, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ling-Huei
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Chia-Yi, Taiwan; School of Medicine, Tzuchi University, Hualien, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Hsi
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Medical College and Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan; Infectious Disease and Signaling Research Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ting-Tsung
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science and Institute of Molecular Biology, National Chung Cheng University, No. 168, University Rd, Min-Hsiung, Chia-Yi, 62102, Taiwan. Electronic address: biosfw@ccu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Shu-Fen
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; D000410:Alanine Transaminase
keywords: Function; Hepatitis C; Inhibition; Interferon; Regulatory T-cells