title: Viral epitope-specific T cell responses induced in chronic, hepatitis C virus-infected patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Approximate 180 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Historically, vaccination has been the most effective strategy for controlling infections of such major health concern. Therapeutic vaccine strategies for HCV, however, have demonstrated negligible success.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Demonstrate the ability of highly-conserved viral epitopes to overcome the immune dysfunction often associated with chronic HCV infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  T cells from five chronic, HCV-infected patients were immunophenotyped by flow cytometry. The ex vivo T cell responses to highly-conserved viral epitopes were assessed by ELISpot assay and cytokine bead array analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both HLA-DRB-1- and HLA-A2-restricted viral epitopes induced specific, TH1-type cytokine production by T cells derived from the patients. Induction occurred despite expression of cell-surface inhibitory molecules and the presence of regulatory T cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings support the potential ability of a broad, multi-epitope-based therapeutic vaccine to elicit virus-specific immune responses in chronic hepatitis C virus-infected patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, United States.
authors.forename: Loren D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Fast
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, United States.
authors.forename: Sasmita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, United States.
authors.forename: Kittichai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Promrat
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, United States.
authors.forename: Phyllis T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Losikoff
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, United States. Electronic address: shgregory9@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Stephen H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Gregory
mesh_terms: D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains / Q000097:blood; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains
keywords: HCV; Human; Peptide; T lymphocyte; Vaccine