CD4 T Helper Type 1 and Regulatory T Cells Induced against the Same Epitopes on the Core Protein in Hepatitis C Virus-Infected Persons

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases 2002-03, Vol.185 (6), p.720-727
• Main Authors: MacDonald, Angus J., Duffy, Margaret, Brady, Miriam T., McKiernan, Susan, Hall, William, Hegarty, John, Curry, Michael, Mills, Kingston H. G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Antigens; Biological and medical sciences; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Cell lines; Cytokines; Epitopes; Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte - immunology; Female; Hepacivirus; Hepatitis C; Hepatitis C - immunology; HLA antigens; HLA-DR Antigens - genetics; HLA-DRB1 Chains; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Interferon-gamma - biosynthesis; Interleukin-10 - biosynthesis; Interleukin-5 - biosynthesis; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; T lymphocytes; Th1 Cells - immunology; Viral Core Proteins - chemistry; Viral Core Proteins - immunology; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Viral hepatitis; Viruses
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1573-6613; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1086/339340

The factors that determine persistence or clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are poorly understood. The CD4 T cell responses to the HCV core protein were examined in a cohort of women infected with a single genotype of HCV. CD4 T cells from HCV-infected patients secreted interferon (IFN)-γ in response to peptides from 4 immunodominant regions of the core protein, and these responses were stronger in persistently infected women. Interleukin (IL)-10 was also produced by CD4 T cells from HCV-infected subjects in response to the same core peptides. Furthermore, HCV core-specific CD4 T cell clones secreted either IFN-γ or IL-10 but not IL-4. These findings demonstrate that T helper type 1 and regulatory T cells are induced against the same epitopes on the core protein during HCV infection.