Hepatitis C virus (HCV) persistence results from inefficiencies of both innate and adaptive immune responses to eradicate the infection. A functional impairment of circulating Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells was described but few data are available on Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells in the liver that, however, represents the battlefield in the HCV/host interaction. Aim of this work was to compare circulating and intrahepatic Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells in chronic HCV-infected patients (HCVpos) and in HCV-negative (HCVneg) subjects. Phenotypic and functional analysis was performed by flow cytometry. Anti-HCV activity was analyzed by using an in vitro autologous liver culture system. Independently from HCV infection, the liver was enriched of Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells expressing an effector/activated phenotype. In contrast, an enrichment of PD-1 expressing Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells was observed both in the peripheral blood and in the liver of HCVpos patients, probably due to a persistent antigenic stimulation. Moreover, a lower frequency of IFN-γ producing Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells was observed in the liver of HCVpos patients, suggesting a functional impairment in the cytokine production in HCVpos liver. Despite this hypo-responsiveness, intrahepatic Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells are able to exert an anti-HCV activity after specific stimulation. Altogether, our data show that HCV infection induced a dysregulation of intrahepatic Vγ9Vδ2 T cells that maintain their anti-HCV activity after specific stimulation. A study aimed to evaluate the mechanisms of the antiviral activity may be useful to identify new pathways able to improve Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells intrahepatic function during HCV infection.
Cimini, E., Bordoni, V., Sacchi, A., Visco-Comandini, U., Montalbano, M., Taibi, C., et al. (2018). Intrahepatic Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells from HCV-infected patients show an exhausted phenotype but can inhibit HCV replication. VIRUS RESEARCH, 243, 31-35 [10.1016/j.virusres.2017.10.008].
Titolo: | Intrahepatic Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells from HCV-infected patients show an exhausted phenotype but can inhibit HCV replication | |
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Data di pubblicazione: | 2018 | |
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Citazione: | Cimini, E., Bordoni, V., Sacchi, A., Visco-Comandini, U., Montalbano, M., Taibi, C., et al. (2018). Intrahepatic Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells from HCV-infected patients show an exhausted phenotype but can inhibit HCV replication. VIRUS RESEARCH, 243, 31-35 [10.1016/j.virusres.2017.10.008]. | |
Handle: | http://hdl.handle.net/11590/400161 | |
Appare nelle tipologie: | 1.1 Articolo in rivista |